


MariChat May Prompt Collection | Supernatural AU

by BeaBee_7



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fae & Fairies, Fae Marinette, Fluff, Marichat May, Misunderstandings, Redemption for Papillon bc he's not an ass in my fic, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, Smut, Soulmates, Werecat Adrien Agreste
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2018-12-17 15:30:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 83,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11854467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeaBee_7/pseuds/BeaBee_7
Summary: Late MariChat May Supernatural/Slice of Life edition!I know I am super late to Marichat May 2017, but I wanted to write drabbles (that kind of became a plot) and thought these prompts would be great!





	1. Flowers

**Flowers**  

Since he was five years old, Adrien Agreste was told he would meet his soul mate by the age of fifteen. He was also told his soul mate would be a fae. The news of his soul mate not being a werecat like him did not sit too well with his father, a pure breed, who came from a long lineage of strong and distinguish werecats. Thankfully his mother had a more contemporary way of thinking and was able to lessen the ire and sting his father retained for months on end after Master Fu, the Head Wizard in the Council, revealed that tidbit.

It has now been four months since his fifteenth birthday and practically everyone, including his father, was convinced that his soul mate was his childhood acquaintance, Chloe Bourgeois. She was the only fae he had every come across in Paris - most fae stayed resided in the Realm - and Master Fu was the master in fortunate-telling. He has never been wrong before and no one would assume he would be wrong now.

Nevertheless, he was told by many elder werecats in his pack - especially Plagg, the Pack's Council representative - that werecats knew instinctually who their mates were. It was not a thought or an opinion, but a fact. Some said the instinct could develop later since he had not fully mature yet and his senses were still developing but the excuses, reasons, and reassurances he received did not convenience him at all.

Chloe was not his mate.

Plagg was the only one who believed him when he admitted his doubts. He did not get that 'instinctual' tick in him like everyone said he would. He even had a hard time admitting he liked her as a person.

She was pretty but a lot of girls were.

She was not kind, she could be nice here and there but kindness was not her strong suit and that always left a not-so-kind opinion of her in his mind.

She was smart, she did have private tutors like him after all but her intelligence was overshadowed by her conceitedness.

She smelled sweet but all faes do, it was in their blood, and it never once caught his attention.

However, like everyone had told him, she was the only fae in his life and Master Fu stated that his mate would enter his life by the age of fifteen. Not fourteen. Not sixteen. Not even fifteen and three-quarters, but fifteen.

His father approved of her. If his mate could not be a strong pure breed, the daughter of the Mayor was a good enough political match. His mother tried to be understanding and logical. The Mayor has already booked a date in his hotel for their wedding when they both turn eighteen - much to Adrien's dread.

One winter day, however, the world exploded and quaked and changed in the span of one minute.

"Come on, Cub. You're slowing us down."

Adrien frowned, "I wasn't the one that stopped at a café to order a cheese sandwich. 

Plagg stopped mid-stride and pivoted to face Adrien. His olive skin has slight wrinkles due to age, but his black hair mixed with gray strands and sharp coy eyes remained the same since Adrien met him nine years ago. "That's true," Plagg grinned, "but, when asked, we'll say traffic was bad."

"Where are we going?"

"Council meeting," Plagg answered. "Something about a possible Tear. What a nuisance."

"If you think it's a bother why even be on the Council."

Plagg snorted, "because I was trained and Chosen, like you, to represent the pack. I should've said 'no' if I've known how much work is involved."

"I haven't decided to be your discipline."

"Then why are you following me around?” Plagg asked, perking an eyebrow.

“I…prefer this than going to photo-shoots.”

Plagg stared at him for a bit longer before resuming his walk towards their destination. “So you only want to be Alpha of the pack?"

"No."

"Oh, you want to go rogue then?"

"I'm not saying that," Adrien stuffed his hands in his coat, not feeling the dreaded chill due to his natural body heat.

"After I retire, your father will take my place. The Alpha position will be vacant and everyone is going to look at you." Plagg sighed, he had this conversation with Adrien before and he felt awful that he had to. Adrien's choices were being made for him and he wasn't even an adult yet, but it was what everyone was expecting. Adrien shifted at a young age, defeated older pack members through sheer strength, displayed heighten senses that went beyond the most trained wolves in the pack.

Adrien was Alpha.

No question.

"There're others," Adrien reasoned.

"But none as strong as you are and will be," Plagg ruffled Adrien's hair. "But, hey, you still have a long-ass time before you take over any important roles. I don't plan to retire for another fifty years."

"So, when you're hundred and two?"

"Are you calling me old, Cub?"

"No," Adrien smiled, "I would never suggest that, Elder."

Plagg frowned, "now you're trying to be cute." Plagg's phone rang loudly and he scowled, "Hello? Yeah, yeah. We'll be there soon." Plagg hung out with saying goodbye. "Come on. Let's meet them before they nag me to death."

"There went your retirement plans," Adrien said lightly as he followed, pleased at the annoyed glare he received.

They crossed the street, heading closer to the Eiffel Tower. Adrien did not know much of the meeting. It was scheduled last minute. They were in the middle of a lesson, going over pack policies and laws when Plagg got a call. All he knew was that it has to do with the Council. Adrien hoped to have the day off but Plagg with his smug grin jolted on how it would be a perfect opportunity for Adrien to shadow him.

"You finally decided to arrive," Wayzz smiled at them. Smoothing his sage green robe as he turned to them, "Tikki will be pleased."

"Tikki?" Plagg perked up, "she's coming, too?"

"Who's Tikki?" Adrien asked.

"Tikki," Plagg swung his arm around Wayzz, tugging the shorter man to his side, patting his bald head, "is the Council rep for the Faes. Who else is showing up, Snapper?"

"Master Fu and possibly Nooroo."

"No Trixx or Pollen?" 

"I do not know," Wayzz sighed, "I was only told to contact you. Master Fu stated that he does not believe this to be an emergency."

Plagg snorted, "Then why were we called? We’re werecats, there isn’t much magic we can do." He froze, the hair on his back rose and twisted around. A smile stretching on his face when, in a glimmer of dust, a woman appeared with ruby hair and blue eyes. "Tik-"

"Have you seen Marinette?" Tikki grounded out, her wings fluttering lightly in a panic.

"Ah, who?" Plagg asked, frowning.

Adrien zoned in on Tikki, something was off with her scent. She smelt like sugar cookies with hints of butterscotch but there was another scent that lingered on her.

It smelt like flowers.

Slightly sweet and light and warm, it called his attention like a beacon of light. A white focal point in a room filled with dark colors. His eyes would follow her, the scent, as she paced left to right.

"My Chosen!" Tikki screeched, "she's fourteen, this tall, black hair, blue eyes, wears too much pink."

"Like you can judge her on that," Plagg droll, eyeing the layers of red clothing she wore.

Tikki ignored him.

"Have you seen her?!"  

Plagg tilted his head, observing the location of Tikki's hand that indicated her Chosen's height and said, "Your Chosen is short."

"She’s fourteen, Plagg!" Tikki wiped around and glared at him, hovering above the ground by a few centimeters.

“What’s happening,” Trixx perked an eyebrow, the three Representatives turned to her. “Did you do something to Tikki, again, Plagg?”

“I did not!” Plagg huffed at her, “She lost her Chosen.”

“You lost your Chosen?” A voice appeared behind Trixx. The young girl stepped beside the taller woman and pushed her red glasses up the bridge of her nose. “That’s irresponsible.”

“Alya,” Trixx hissed at her Chosen.

"It's daytime," Plagg said offhandedly, "she's probably exploring Paris or grabbing a bite to eat at a nearby cafe."

"On any other day that is fine," Tikki stalked, "but not today with that!" She pointed up to the sky where there was a crack in the sky oozing black.

"What is that?" Plagg asked out loud.

"The Tear," Master Fu appeared in a gust of wind, "between our the Common Lands and the Realm, a limbo of sort, where akumas roam."

“I’m assuming it’s not supposed to be there,” Plagg leaned against a tree with a bored look. Tears only appeared on land. “Why is it so huge?”

“That’s what we are here to find out,” Master Fu smiled.

“Have you seen Marinette!?” Tikki pushed Wayzz out of the way.

“You lost your Chosen?”

“Yes!” Tikki cried out, tears were lining her eyes and she turned to Plagg. “Plagg?”

Plagg turned his head and crossed his arms but after five painfully long seconds, he sighed and looked at Adrien. “I got a mission for you.”

“A mission?” Adrien ripped his gaze from Tikki.

“Yeah, go find Tikki’s Chosen.”

“Alya,” Trixx pushed her Chosen forward, “go with him.”

“W-what? I don’t want to. I want to see how we’re going to deal with the Tear.”

“We,” Trixx indicated to the Representatives, “are going to deal with the Tear. You,” she pointed at Alya, “are going to follow order and look for…what was her name?”

“Marinette,” Tikki blubbered against Plagg’s chest.

“Marinette,” Trixx continued, “Understood?”

“Yes, Granny.”

Trixx took a hold of Alya’s head and bent over, her mouth gleamed and coyly hinted at her nature. “What did you call me?”

“Here,” Tikki reached into her long coat, interrupting the fox women, and pulled a red ribbon out, “this is hers. Can you get her scent from it?”

Alya inhaled the floral notes and smiled, “Yeah...she smells nice. I’m sure Adrien and I can track her down.”

“I am expecting you two to track her down,” Plagg scowled. “How embarrassing would it be if a cat and a fox couldn’t?”

“Very,” Trixx agreed, sweeping her long brunette hair behind her.

Adrien was barely aware of what the others were speaking about as he focused solely on the ribbon in Tikki’s hand. He gulped nervously, his hands shook and his toes curled, and he did not know why he felt…antsy. Tikki’s hand would move back and forth as she made gestured and Adrien’s gaze would follow loyally.

“Wait, why can’t Tikki use her magic?” Alya asked. “She could use a spell to find Marinette, right?”

“We need her to close the Tear,” Master Fu answered. “That takes up a lot of power as is, and we do not know if we need to fight akumas during the process.”

“In other words,” Wayzz continued, “She needs to conserve her power for now.”

“Ah, it got bigger,” Plagg’s bored tone shot electricity through everyone.

They all looked up and saw the Tear indeed got bigger, a black hole in the center cracking open. Black magic was seeping through and mingled with the air, dense and heavy like a humid summer day.

There was a crash to the far right of them and screams were produced from the neighboring street. “Akuma,” Trixx sneered, her eyes turning red.

“Plagg. Trixx,” Master Fu called to them and the two nodded.

Plagg and Trixx released their transformation. Black fur sprouted from Plagg’s body as he grew to an enormous two hundred and forty-three centimeters werecat. His bones cracked and muscle coiled and expanded until he stood on his hind legs, his jaw snapped closed as his eyes glowed gold.

Trixx’s bone snapped into place as she morphed to a large fox. Her clothes ripped as red fur grew from her skin and her mouth elongated. She shook her head and blinked at Plagg and then at Alya. Alya nodded and followed suit. She took her glasses off and handed them to Tikki before she transformed. She was a smaller next to Trixx, but still monstrous compared to an average fox, her fur a copper while her eyes were a burning auburn.

Plagg glanced at Adrien, expecting his Chosen to morphed as well but growled when he saw Adrien’s attention was still on the ribbon in Tikki’s hand. Plagg hissed and Adrien jolted. “Sorry,” Adrien laughed and transformed as well. His eyes held a brilliant green underneath the shade of gold werecats were known for and, like Plagg, Adrien’s fur was black despite being a blond in his human form.

Most packs had a variety of shades but the Noir pack was unique and famous across the Lands for the unique trait of having only black-fur werecats. So famous, that many also dubbed them as the Chat Noir pack for resembling more of a black hellcat. A matter that Gabriele, Alpha of the pack, found amusing.

With their Chosen, Trixx and Plagg looked at Master Fu, waiting for his instruction. The Head Wizard was about to order them to investigate when another screeched came, closer this time, and they looked up. A black winged creature came crashing down and following the creature was a blur of pink.

Adrien’s eyes widened and his blood pumped. They all watched in surprised as the pink object collided with Adrien and they rolled a few meters before coming to a stop. Adrien simply felt soft flesh in his arms as he cradled her protectively.

Mate.

He heard a delicate groan of pain before propping himself up. He looked down at the small girl underneath him and his senses were filled of her, of the natural musk beneath her skin that smelt like a concentration of sweet peonies and plum flowers and _her_ humming from her body, of her supply skin warm and flushed pink, of the lovely sight of blue eyes, a dusting of freckles, and thick black hair.

Mate.

She was his mate.

His mind stated it and his body confirmed it.

He wanted to say something, 'hello' at least but he was not able to speak in this form. So, he settled for a smile that could be as charming as possible. She perked an eyebrow at him and it stabbed him in the heart.

“Marinette!” Tikki was running over and Marinette sat up, forcing him to lean back while he, instinctually, wanted to curl himself over her. “Are you okay?”

Marinette twisted herself free from Adrien’s hunching form and stood up, thrusting a talisman into Tikki’s hand. “I found it,” Marinette grinned and Tikki laughed loudly.

“You little Sprite!” Tikki kissed Marinette’s head. “Where did you get this?”

“Um,” Marinette looked over at the fallen akuma and Tikki frowned. “You see…what had happened was –”

“Nope,” Tikki stopped her; “I don’t want to listen to it right now. Right now, we have a job to take of.”

“What is that?” Wayzz asked.

“A miraculous,” Master Fu answered, “a rare talisman that went missing this morning. How did you track it?”

Marinette beamed her smile and Adrien was relieved that he was still on the ground because it made his legs weak. Plagg noticed the awe look on Adrien’s face and grinned. It was time that the poised son of the Alpha got a taste of destiny and turned to a smitten kitten.

“With luck,” she answered.

“Come on, Marinette,” Tikki unfolded her wings from her back, showing the fine skin there that still made Plagg gulp.

Marinette nodded and did the same, her wings peeling off her chest and back and Adrien whimpered at the sight of her smooth back. She was about to set off after Tikki who was in the sky when she remembered the cat she crashed into. She twisted around to look at him, her cheeks red, “I’m so sorry for crashing into you. I hope I didn’t hurt you too badly.” She lifted off the ground and he twitched to reach out to her. “I’ll make it up to you. Promise!” she shouted before flying off.

“I told you, didn’t I?” Master Fu pulled on his bread thoughtfully, “You will meet your mate _at_ the age of fifteen.”

Adrien blinked and smiled, his tail snapping back and forth.

He found her.


	2. Baking

"Here's the last one," Tom Dupain placed the last cake on the gold display stand and smiled at Marinette. "Are you sure you can handle closing the bakery?"

"It’s fine," Marinette twisted in her stool. "It's only for an hour. You and Maman enjoy your dinner. I'll be fine," she reassured him. Greeting a patron when the door opened and the bell chimed. "Your anniversary doesn't happen every day, you know."

Tom pursed his lips, unsure at leaving her alone. They both heard the soft steps of Sabine, "Mon Amour!" Tom gasped, "You look stunning."

Marinette smiled at her parents, chuckling at her mother's humbled answers to her father's lavish compliments. She rang a customer up as her parents collected their phones, wallets, and keys.

"Are you sure you'll be fine, Mari?" Tom asked again. "It's been a few months since you've been home."

"Tom, I doubt Marinette forgot how to close up shop. She's only been gone for four months," Sabine kissed the top of Marinette's head. "You know to call us if anything happens, right?"

"Of course I’ll call...all long as it's not my fault," she snickered and Sabine frowned when Tom joined her.

"Marinette."

"I'm kidding, Maman. I'll call even if I burn the bakery down."

"Maybe we should stay?" Sabine joked, throwing her shawl over her shoulders.

"We shouldn’t be out too late but in case we are, don't wait up, okay?" Tom kissed Marinette's forehead and led Sabine out the door.

Marinette waved at her parents, happy that they were going to enjoy an evening out. She wanted to make sure they have no worries about the bakery as they rarely get to do such pleasant things. She sighed and surveyed the bakery, missing the modest life she used to have before Tikki burst through the bakery’s door, breaking one of the hinges, stating Marinette was her Chosen. Before that day, Marnette and her parents did not even know she was a faerie.

They learned that magic could skip a generation and her maternal grandmother was a faerie, too, that once served on the Realm’s council. Tikki, red and bubbling with energy, kept stating and stating that Marinette was her Chosen. The older fae couldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer and Marinette only agreed when Tikki began to cry in the middle of the bakery during rush hour.

Marinette helped a dozen or so of regular customers before her alarm went off, ten more minutes before it was closing time. Marinette hummed lightly as she organized the bags, boxes, and ribbons underneath the counter; answering a last minute order and tidying the back when she heard the bell chime again.

"Welcome to Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie," Marinette greeted pleasantly as she tied a ribbon on a last pickup of the night. “How may I help you? 

"This place doesn't seem all that great," a haughty voice flicked through the bakery. Marinette blinked and looked up, meeting the bored gaze of a blond wearing a yellow cardigan. "What is there good to eat here? Unless nothing is...edible," she giggled alongside a red hair standing next to her 

 _Patience is a virtue all Chosens must have, Marinette_.

Tikki’s advice rang through her mind but when the blond sneered at the éclairs, Marinette decided virtue could burn in a fire.

~o~o~o~o~ 

Adrien gulped at Alya’s message and glanced up at his tutor, the old man had his back turned and Adrien glanced to the window. A second later he stood up from his seat, surprising his tutor, and jumped out the window. He heard his tutor’s yowl in anger as he sprinted down the street but he did not care, not right now. Not after he read Alya’s message.

_Heard from a friend that your little fae is in town. I suggest getting some pastries from Tom and Sabine Boulangerie Pastisserie. They close in five minutes. You’re welcome._

All he has been thinking about for the last four months was Marinette Dupain-Cheng, his soul mate, his mate, and future Alpha of his pack. The thought sent flutters of wings inside of him, made his hands sweat and shake. She was in his dreams, waiting for him on the other side of a garden, lingering between masses of people crossing the street. She was in the mapping of the stars.

She was everywhere.

After their first meeting, he tried everything in his limited power to go to the Realm to search for her. Even going as far as to argue with his father about it until his mother stepped in. Veronica with her gentle smile gave him Marinette’s full name. The simple knowledge of knowing Marinette’s full name floored him and made him quiet. His mother found it amusing while his father grumbled about young love.

Unlike his father, his mother appeased him and explained the main reason why it would be unwise to go to the Realm to look for Marinette: Marinette and Tikki were never in the same place for more than a day. Their entire schedule was filled with meetings after meetings. Tikki was more proactive in her role as the Fae Representative compared to Plagg who needed to be dragged into meetings by Adrien.

She explained that it was best to wait for her to return to Paris since the next Council Meeting will take place at the Fable Hall. All representatives were expected to attend, meaning Marinette will be in Paris. “ _You waited this long for her, Adrien. What’s a month or so_?” His mother asked and he bit back a retort about the physical pain he felt in being away from her.

Nevertheless, he unwillingly agreed to wait, taking comfort in knowing that he would soon find himself face-to-face with the love of his life. When they meet again, he would be in his human form, charming her until she threw herself onto him. A soft, hesitate kiss would land on his lips and they would confess their undying love for each other.

Skidding a corner, Adrien saw the bakery Alya mentioned in her message. The lights were still on and he checked his clock. He had two more minutes. Would she be there? Why would she be there? Damnit, he should have asked Alya before sprinting here but not right now. She might still be there, picking out pastries and when she walked out the door, their eyes will meet and she will smile at him, offering him a pain au chocolat as he walked her home.

Trembling, he pushed the door open and he was first greeted with the delicious smell of bread and sweets, and then the fresh floral scent of Marinette. He zoned in on her, his eyes focused on her as she turned around. Hair falling over her shoulder and her lips a dusty rose pink. She had the loveliest eyes he had ever seen, blue like the sky on a clear summer day. His grin was large as he stepped forward, words ready to spew out his introduction as the love of her life when he was tackled.

“Adrikins! What are you doing here?” Chloe batted her lashes at him and Adrien recoiled.

“W-what are you doing here, Chloe.” He glanced up and saw the dull expression on Marinette’s face. She was unimpressed. Shit. “U-um, I’m – ”

“Adrien,” Chloe interrupted, “please tell this…pixie that I cannot have bread with gluten in it. It’s bad for my skin.”

“As I mentioned before, all of the bread made here have gluten in them,” Marinette answered.

“The éclairs?”

“Gluten.”

“The macarons?”

“Gluten.” 

“The croissants?”

“Gluten,” Marinette sighed.

“Ugh, I don’t see why we came here, Adrien. This tacky little bakery doesn’t follow diet fads. How are you supposed to make sells? Hm? I won’t be surprised if you’re bought out, right?” She directed the question to Adrien but Sabrina answered for him.

“Right! I bet Adrien’s father knows plenty of people who would like to buy this place, right, Chloe?” Sabrina clasped her hands together, happy that she made Chloe laugh.

“If not his father, then mine, Andre Bourgeois, the Mayor of Paris,” Chloe chortled, “Don’t expect to be here for much longer!”

Marinette’s smile was strain and stiff, “I apologize for not having the bread you are seeking. However, as it is past seven, I must mention that we are officially close. Since you would not like to buy something, I must respectfully ask you three to leave.”

“B-but,” Adrien struggled out of Chloe’s grip and stepped back at Marinette’s glare.

“Leave.”

“Oh, dear! Adrien, love, we’re late for our reservation!” Chloe latched herself on to him.

“Chloe,” Adrien growled in annoyance before panicking as Marinette became more irritated towards them, and more importantly, towards him. “P-please –”

“The car is here!” Chloe interrupted again, tugging him behind her. “Let’s go!”

“I’ll meet you outside,” Adrien finally snapped and seethed the words at her, “I need to speak with her.”

“Oh, you’re going to give her a talking, aren’t you?” Chloe shrugged his anger off with a high-pitch laugh, “Perfect. I’ll wait in the car then. It smells awful in here. Sabrina,” Chloe walked out of the bakery with Sabrina in tow.

Adrien whipped around, ready to explain himself when he saw she was not behind the counter. He inhaled and followed her scent to the back where the kitchen was located. He gulped as he knocked on the wall, catching her attention. She perked an eyebrow at him, clearly indicating that he was not supposed to be here.

“I, um,” he rubbed the back of his head, suddenly unsure how to continue since this was not how he planned for them to meet after four months.

“The bakery is closed,” Marinette continued to store sugar and flour away in the upper cabinets, “and nothing we have seemed to please to your girlfriend –”

“She’s not my girlfriend!” Adrien shouted, startling them both and he watched in horror as the flour slipped from her fingers and fell all over her and the floor.

Oh no.

A bitter hint appeared in her scent, clearly indicating how irritated she was with him. This was not going according to plan. Nevertheless, covered in the white substance only made her eyes stand out more and her cheeks, red as cherries, bled through and it made Adrien’s toes curl in wonderment.

He craved to kiss her.

“Get out.”

Shit.

“W-wait. I can explain,” Adrien held his hands up as she marched forward. While she was much shorter and smaller than him, there was an aura about her that made her seem ten times her size.

“Leave,” she punctuated, losing the last bit of restrain she had, “Now.”

“B-but, I have to,” Adrien suddenly realized he was outside and jumped when she shut the door. “W-wait, Marinette,” he called to her and gasped as she lowered the curtains, shutting him out. “I…I,” he mumbled outside as he heard her footsteps retreat from the front door.

What now?

“Adrien!” Chloe sang as she lowered the car window, “Dinner?”

Fuck.

~o~o~o~o~ 

“It’s not funny!” Adrien cried out, holding his head in his hands as Alya laughed louder. “She hates me. My mate hates me and I didn’t even say a full sentence to her, Alya.”

Alya sighed, stomach in pain, and took a deep breath, “Ok. I’m going to help you.”

“You are?” Adrien perked up.

“Yeah,” Alya looked back to the closed bakery from the bench they sat at in the nearby park. “There’s a Council meeting this weekend, right?”

“Which we’re not allowed to attend. 

“Yes, we,” Alya indicated to the both of them, “are not allowed but Marinette is.”

“So?”

“So, show up and tell her the truth.”

“Just tell her the truth?” Adrien repeated, not believing Alya’s simple solution. “No roses? Teddy bears? Boxes of chocolates? A ring?”

“Woah, there.” Alya shook her head, “Everything you just said will only scare her.”

“Why would it? We’re mates,” Adrien whined.

“Yeah, and your mate is not a Were like us. They don’t get this whole ‘fated to be together because they just smell right” thing.”

Adrien remained silent, thinking over his next. “Okay, he said, “I’ll give it a shot.”

Two days later when the sun began to sink at dusk, Adrien turned around from the base of the staircase at Fable Hall and looked up. Marinette stood there, looking away from him under the safety of the buttress as rain began to fall. She did not have an umbrella but he did and his chauffer was waiting for him.

He was not able to speak with her at all today. Everything interrupted him at every given chance. Now there was no one but them. The Elders remained inside to speak on additional matters. The other Chosen stayed inside to avoid the rain and Marinette just stood there, shivering lightly.

Gulping, he turned to walk up to her. “Hello,” he said. She frowned and looked away again. Oh, that stung badly. “I hope you hear me out when I say I didn’t go to the bakery to bother you,” he continued and it surprised her. Slowly, she looked down at the floor before meeting his gaze. “I know Chloe but we’re not dating or anything. I went to bakery… because I saw you and wanted to say hello.” Everything he wanted to say got stuck in his chest. So, he mustered to do the next best thing.

Adrien offered his umbrella to her. His smile was true. Blinking, she jumped as thunder struck but it made her move, to reach for the umbrella. Her finger briefly touched his and Adrien felt electricity course through him. When her palm opened to receive the handle, he passed it to her, his hand enclosing over hers for a single second that lit a fire in him.

She still had a look of bewilderment and did not notice her finger pressing the retractor, causing the umbrella to snap shut over her head. Adrien tried to bit back his laughter, but it rang out loud and pure, striking something unfamiliar in Marinette. She peered from beneath the umbrella and answered his laughter with a shy giggle.

After calming down, his smiled remained, pleased at the change of her scent. It was sweet again. “I’ll see you later then,” he stated and walked away before he screwed this up a second time.

“S-see y-later…I-I,” she blubbered, suddenly nervous and red. “Why am I stuttering? She hissed quietly to herself.

Adrien entered his car and raised an eyebrow at Plagg. Was he not supposed to be in the meeting for another hour? “Found yourself a girlfriend?” Plagg teased, pulling a cigarette form his coat pocket.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” Adrien said quietly, “She’s a friend.”

The car started up and Adrien lowered the window to get one last look at Marinette when her scent hit him. The floral scent was stronger, her natural musk impregnating the floral scent attached to her and he realized, seconds too late as they pulled away form the curb, that she developed some kind of feeling for him.

It smelled like she liked him.

“W-wait!” Adrien shouted to the driver.

“I cannot,” the driver answered.

“Why not!?” Adrien growled, retreating further and further away from Marinette.

“Because we have a scheduled tour with the Estella Fromagerie and we’re already running late,” Plagg grinned.

“Let me out, then!”

“Didn’t you hear me, Cub? We’re running late.”

“Damnit, Plagg!” Adrien twisted around, blocks away from Marinette now since all the traffic lights were green. “Marinette,” he whined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for all the kudos, comments, and bookmarks! I'm so glad you're enjoying these one-shots. 
> 
> I'll post the next chapter as soon as I can!


	3. Identity Reveal

Adrien stopped when the footsteps beside him stilled. Turning around, he looked at Marinette as she gazed to the right of her. A pursed frown was steady on her lips as they stood silently in the middle of the street, pedestrians passed by them. He grunted and she looked back at him.

“Did you feel that?” She asked, glancing back to the right.

Akuma activity has risen since the Tear and those, even teenagers, who were able to fight were required to fit a patrol into their schedules. Adrien, like the other Chosen, were expected to participate in these patrols without protest and when he was told he was partnered with Marinette – Plagg hinting it was due to his involvement – he yowled at the moon much to Plagg’s amusement.

“Maybe it’s my imagination?” Marinette pondered, “What do you think?” Adrien shook his head and nudged her leg, urging her to continue walking. Sighing, she ambled her way next to him. “I swear, some days I keep forgetting you’re actually not a small cat. I wonder how you look in your human form.”

Adrien frowned.

That was not his fault.

She always arrived late to patrol and he always had to start without her. Thus, he always was in his cat form when she arrived. Honestly, he would have preferred to be in his jaguar form since it was more masculine and impressive, but city life demanded his domestic, meter length house cat body. She called him cute way too many times.

He wanted her to be attractive to him and not be cradled in her arms like a baby.

Adrien looked up at Marinette, his heart was pattering as she brushed her hair away from her face. Still. He was a goner when her scent broke through the Portal. His hair would stand up and his tail swished back and forth in excitement. She would smile at him as she landed in front of him and scratch his chin, apologizing for being late, again, and he would forgive her because her eyes would twinkle and her freckles warmed him 

Five months had passed since that eventful rainy day and Adrien was able to meet with Marinette six times since then - but in his cat form only. Adrien was known in his pack for his bad luck, which earned him the nickname and status of being the Chat Noir. His bad luck continued since she never made the connection that Adrien Agreste, Plagg’s Chosen, was the person who gave her the umbrella all those months ago.

What devastated him the most, besides Marinette not recognizing him, was the absence of that lovely aroma in her scent. She did not make any indication of being infatuated with him. She was friendly and amicable and polite to him, and that was it. She treated him like Kim from his pack, like a friend.

He was not her friend.

He was her mate.

Adrien’s ears lowered. He wondered if he imaged the husk fragrance.

“Hey,” Marinette squatted down and tilted her head to the side, almost killing him. “Are you okay?”

He imagined himself transforming back to his human form in front of her multiple times, to tell her the truth and properly introduce himself. However, all he can imagine if he did that was her glare when she saw him entirely nude. Adrien sighed and, unable to resist, nuzzled his face into her hand until she smiled. Her scent flooded with a pleasant pheromone and he wondered if he should throw caution in to the wind. 

A scream resounded through the streets. Adrien turned to the direction of the scream and pulled his lips back in a snarl. He felt Marinette stand up behind him and worried filled him. He fought against akumas before but what about Marinette? What if she had no experience? They had not fight a single akuma since they started patrolling together.

A need to protect his mate burned him.

The fragile cat collar around his neck broke easily as he sprinted toward the danger, morphing into his large feline form, following the scent of fear. 

“Adrien!”

Marinette’s voice was a whispered reminder of instinctual protection as he skidded a corner, ran down an alley, and skidded another corner to encounter a spider akuma. He growled at it, catching its attention. The akuma screamed and sent a length limb towards Adrien. He dodged the attack and morphed to a werecat. He blocked another limb, grabbed the bone-like appendage and ripped it off the spider akuma. The akuma raged and spit out a purple liquid that steamed when it landed on the grass.

Oops.

The akuma spat out its venom until it cornered Adrien to a building and used its limb to drive him into the wall with a loud deafening crash. The akuma grinned, venom leaking from its fangs. Adrien scowled, the akuma was getting closer to his neck. It suddenly screeched in pain when arrows pierced its side. It dropped him and looked up, screaming its rage.

“Upset?” Marinette asked, hovering in the air with an arrow strung in her bow. Her round tipped wings, iridescent like opals, fluttered as she lowered herself to the ground. “Image how I feel,” she stated and released the arrow. It pierced through the akuma’s shoulder and in the moment of distraction she dashed forward, slipped under its limb and pulled another arrow.

“Lucky Charm,” she said in a steady voice as her arrow glowed red and she released the string. The arrow pierced the akuma’s back and it collapsed in white, glowing gust.

Adrien blinked.

She purified it using her own magic.

She was strong.

Marinette’s expression changed to concern when she turned to him, “Adrien!” She kneeled next to him, hissing sympathetically at his broken arm. “You’re hurt. I’m sorry.”

If Adrien were in his human form he would have blushed at the gentle touch of her hand on his arm and the caring expression she had. However, he also didn’t like that expression on her. He preferred her smiles and grins, the delightful dimples she had when she saw a crepe stand and order something to eat for the both of them even though he was a cat.

Adrien shook his head and swiftly, without thinking, morphed into his human form. Black hair retreating and lightened, sharp teeth dulling only slightly, and he cursed in pain as bones snapped and reformed. “I’m fine,” he grunted through the dryness in his throat and grinned at her. “See? All better.”

Shades of red passed over her cheeks and her eyes remained fixed on his.

Oh…the smell was back. 

He inhaled sharply, addicted to the spicy musk and licked his lips.

The mutual attraction she had for him only made him overconfident and haughty. “You always arrived late for patrol so I wasn’t able to properly introduce myself to you,” he smirked, the red and heady musk increased, “I’m Adrien Agreste.”


	4. Night on the Town

“Can you stop pouting?”

Adrien huffed, shoving his hands in his pockets as he followed Alya through the park. “Sorry,” he said.

“Did you miss her?” She asked, a sly grin on her face, “Again?”

“I did!” Adrien groaned.

“How do you keep missing her? She only comes once every two months.”

“I know,” Adrien frowned. “Père keeps scheduling last minute appointments when I’m supposed to meet her with Plagg. So….”

“Maybe your Père is trying to sabotage you?”

Adrien went to defend his father but struggled to come up with a valid reason. His father was upset that Chloe was not his mate and while Adrien did not tell his father Marinette was, he suspected someone else did. He was very obvious with his attentiveness towards her and some of the other pack members already suspected why – he also never denied the rumors.

“So he is?” Alya hummed, tapping her chin.

“I don’t know if he is but that doesn’t excuse my lack of ability to make it in time to see her. 

“How long has it been?”

After she saved him that night and his identity was revealed to her, they were found by Tikki and Plagg. Tikki took her to the Realm right afterward to request an audience in the Royal Courts while Plagg took him back to Fable Hall for an emergency meeting.

He has not seen her since then.

“Six months,” Adrien muttered.

“S-six months!?” Alya shot up, “How are you even standing?” 

It was common for mated weres – such as himself and Alya – to get sick when they were separated from their partners for a long period of time. Common symptoms were depression, weight loss, anxiety, and death. Love sickness on steroids was what Plagg told him once.

“By the sheer hope of seeing her.”

“Why did you miss her yesterday?”

“I didn’t,” Adrien ran his hand through his hair. “I ignored my father’s last minute schedule changes and waited for her at the Portal but only Tikki showed up. Marinette had to attend a different meeting.”

“Nothing but bad luck. Your reputation of being the Chat Noir of the Noir pack precedes you.” Alya looked over to him, chuckling at the dejected expression he had. “Have you tried calling her? Schedule a date or something?" 

“I can’t call her!”

“Why not?" 

“I…well, I don’t really have a good reason to.”

“She’s your mate,” Alya reasoned, “You don’t need a reason to call her.”

“She doesn’t know that. I never got the chance to tell her.”

“You haven’t!?”

“No.”

“What have you been doing this past year? Just fantasizing a relationship with her?”

Adrien stiffened his lips, “Basically.”

“Mon Dieu, you’re helpless. Just call her!”

“It’s not something you can mention it over the phone.” The wind picked up, leaves rustled pass their feet as they trekked under the bright lampposts. “It has to be in person.”

“I’m surprised.”

“On what?”

“That you haven’t claimed her. Most weres lay their claim on their mates right away without a second thought or precaution.”

“I…I’m not going to mark her without asking, Alya.” Adrien blushed.

“Oh, but you want to.” Alya snickered. 

“Of course I want to! She’s,” he paused, gazing up to the dark sky and saw the reflection of her hair, the stars mimicking the twinkle in her eyes. He thought about claiming her since he got her scent in him. The feminine musk she carried sped his heart, made his hands itch to grab her, his mouth water and ache to mark her. “She’s amazing.”

It was a lingering image in the back of his mind. After he kissed her, made her blush red, he would trail down to her jaw and neck, resting at the junction of her shoulder. He imaged her hands on him, bashfully tilting her head to the side and beckoning him to make it. She waited in anticipation for him, sighing when he finally pressed a kiss there. 

Without realizing it, she would flood the room with her desire for him; arch her back when he sucked. Gasping as he pushed against her. His hip pressed against hers. He released his own musk as he bit and licked her. Making her moan, and with a possessive growl in his throat his canine teeth would elongate and he would claim her. The mark would announce to everyone that she was taken. His musk, thick and dense, would cover her body, drenched her and no one will mistake who she belonged to.

“Whoa, clam down,” Alya scrunched her nose and batted the air in front of her. “She’s not here so put your musk away.”

Adrien jolted in alarm and blushed, “Sorry.” It was getting harder to suppress his mating tendency with each passing day. 

“Who’s that?”

Adrien looked up, noticing the person Alya was referring to as they walked towards the figure. “That person’s doesn’t have a scent.”

“Mad suspicious,” Alya frowned, getting closer to the figure.

“Hey there,” the voice called when they were a few meters away, “this area is currently closed. We’re starting a gardening project. Please take the detour route on your left.” The man gestured with white gloves, his glasses gleamed under the streetlight. He wore dark jeans and a reflective vest over his gray sweater.

“Gardening project?” Alya lifted her eyebrow, not believing him. “Where’s your crew.”

“They’ll be here in a few minutes. I scouted ahead to clear the area,” he stated.

“Cool. So, what’s the project?”

“The city asked us to build a fountain in honor of the recently passed Elf politician,” he answered smoothly, a hint of smugness tugged at his mouth.

Adrien watched as Alya and the city employee went back and forth. Alya asking more questions, probing and investigating who was funding the project, how long was it going to take, the detail on who designed the fountain and if there will be additional benches or paths. The park employee met Alya’s questions with answers. The city and an anonymous donor funded the project, it would take two months at most, Théo Barbot designed the fountain, and there will be a dozen or so new features that will be complimenting the new addition to park.

“Why are you so curious about the project? Do you have green thumb?” The park employee grinned.

“I just like the park,” Alya answered. There was a faint tweet floating through the park. “It’s part of my nature.”

“Well,” the employee stepped closer as the tweeting got a louder. “If you like, I can always give you a tour.” 

“Of this park?”

The tweeting became a hurried chirp.

“Of a park.”

The chirping became frantic.

“What is up with that bird?” Alya frowned, looking towards the litter of heavy trees.

“Bird?” the employee stilled and turned around, finally hearing the chirping, “Oh, fuck!”

He sprinted towards the tree line, leaving Adrien and Alya behind confused until seconds later another figure burst out from the trees. The figure dropped to the ground to avoid a fiery attack coming from the forest. They rolled back up to their feet and blocked another attack with an energy shield.

“Shit!” The man pulled a wand from his sweater, “Marinette!”

Adrien’s blood froze.

Marinette?

Before he even analyzed the situation, Adrien shifted to a werecat as he ran towards her. He was quicker than the man who was speaking with Alya and tackled the akuma when it came out of the trees. The akuma hunched on all fours with its head jerking back and forth screamed at Adrien before looking back at Marinette.

Adrien growled a warning that the akuma did not take heed.

The akuma was not able to take two steps when Adrien grabbed its throat and slammed it to the ground, his claws embedded in its chest. The akuma screeched, puffing up and it then burst into lights when a spell hit it.

“Got it!” the not-park employee said as the akuma dissolved into soft orbs of light. “Thanks for the help, dude." 

The chirping was back.

“Um,” the not-park employee held his hands up as Marinette pushed her hood off her head, releasing her scent to the air, and shoved herself up from the ground. She marched to him as she whistled angrily. “I’m sorry?”

“I almost died, Nino!” Marinette yelled, the braid crowning her head was in disarray, grass and leaves were tucked in here and there and on her clothing, too. She felt something warm wrapped around her hand.

“I’m sorry!” Nino clasped his hands together and bowed his head, “I’m so sorry. I got distracted.”

“By what!?”

“Hey, girl,” Alya piped up.

“Alya?” Marinette stopped her huffing and pivoted to look at Alya and then to Adrien’s towering form. Her heart pattered irregularly and she followed his shoulder down to his arm and down to his hand that was holding hers. She blushed but pushed her embarrassment aside for now because she was still angry. Marinette shifted her glare back to Nino.

“I’m sorry,” Nino said once more and looked over to Adrien who had his teeth pulled back, too. “I’m sorry to you, too. Um, Marinette, are they your friends?”

Marinette placed a soothing hand over Adrien’s that made him relax, his shoulders dropped slightly but he kept his glare on Nino. Only imagining the worst now. He could have lost Marinette tonight, her life taken from her because of…Nino.

“Yeah,” Marinette coughed, hoping her cheeks weren’t red. “Alya is Trixx’s Chosen and Adrien is Plagg’s.”

“Nice to meet you.” Nino waved.

“If only it had been on a more…pleasant introduction, but this is fun, too.” Alya grinned, looking slyly at Adrien who stood close to Marinette, almost hovering.

He was worried. Cute.

Marinette pulled her hand free from Adrien’s, ignoring the flattening of his ears, and unclasped her oversized coat that was disguising her scent. “Come on,” she gestured for him to kneel down. “I can’t really talk to you if you’re in Big Kitty form.”

She threw it around his shoulder, watched in fascination as he shifted back to his human form. Black mass of hair retrieved back to his body and bones broke and decreased in size until he was blonde and had tan skin again. Marinette looked away when he stood. He tugged his arms through the sleeves and clasped the coat shut. Adrien smiled softly at her and when he heard Nino trip over a rock, he frowned. Nino caught himself and grinned at Adrien’s unimpressed frown.

“What are you two even doing?” Alya asked, looking back to the trees. “Hunting akumas?”

Nino and Marinette looked at each other, both struggling to answer until Nino shrugged his shoulder, “Yeah, basically.”

“What?” Adrien looked sharply at Marinette. 

“The Realm created the Guards, a group to defend the Realm and the Common Lands from akumas, and we’re a part of it.” Nino continued.

“We got alerted to a Tear in the park yesterday,” Marinette pulled a leaf from her hair.

“Oh! So that was your meeting,” Alya plucked a twig from the shorter girl’s braid, twirling it between her fingers.

“Meeting?”

“Tikki mentioned you weren’t able to make it yesterday to the Fable Hall meeting because of  _this_ meeting.”

Marinette chuckled, “I see.”

“Are there more?”

“Nah,” Nino slipped his wand back in its sleeves. “That was the last one.”

“Last one?” Adrien repeated with a frown.

“Yeah, we had a few yesterday. I took down four of them.”

“I took down four of them,” Marinette smirked, “You took out the fifth one with the help of Adrien.”

Nino frowned and went to grab Marinette’s forearm to whisper in her ear but stopped at Adrien’s severe frown. Instead, Nino carefully scooted closer and leaned over to whisper in her ear. “Mari, I’m trying to impress Glasses.”

“Well, that’s fine but now she knows.”

“What?” Nino perked an eyebrow. 

“Did you forget already, Glasses?” Alya shot the nickname back and crossed her arms with a smug smile, “I’m Trixx’s Chosen.” Fox ears popped free from the top of her head.

“And you have excellent hearing because you’re a Fox Woman,” Nino blushed, “Well, I am mortified.”

“For you,” Marinette laughed and turned towards the exit, rubbing her eyes softly as the rest followed her. “Come on, we need to report this to Tikki and the Court.” She yawned.

“Then a nap?” Nino took off his coat as well; both Alya and Adrien noticing his scent was still absent. 

“How do you know that?”

“You always want a nap,” Nino snickered, making an uncomfortable twist in Adrien’s stomach. “But, how about we wait to do that tomorrow?”

“Why’s that?" 

“Because - Alya?” Nino held his arm out, “If you’re still interested, I’ll show you around the park.”

Alya tapped her chin, glancing over to Adrien and Marinette. Her lips pulled to a grin when she saw Marinette glance at Adrien, a look of wonderment held there before shifting back to Alya and Nino. Alya held back her laughter when Marinette jolted in embarrassment when she noticed Alya was watching her.

“Sure,” Alya slipped her arm through Nino’s. A little weary of the absent of his scent but she assumed it was due to his clothing or a spell. “As long as you’re alright with abandoning Marinette.”

“Marinette will be fine. I’ve seen her take down a dragon akuma all by herself.”

“He’s right,” Marinette smiled, “I’ll be fine.”

“Still,” Alya pursed her lips, “Oh! I know. Adrien,” Alya looked over to Adrien and offered him a sly smile, “can you walk Marinette home? Just in case?”

Nino snorted, “That’s actually a good idea. Mari has the habit of running into trouble.”

Marinette opened her mouth to dispute his statement but could not come up with a good counterargument.

“That’s what I thought little Miss Attack-First-Talk-Later,” Nino grinned. “Don’t worry, dude. I’m sure her parents will reward you with a pastry or two from their bakery. I’ll catch you tomorrow, Mari.”

“Bye,” Marinette waved at them, shuffling her feet for a few second before looking up at Adrien. “Y-you don’t need to walk me home.”

“I want to,” Adrien answered quickly.

“Are you sure?”

“Why won’t I be?”

“Well, you are, kind of, nude?” She said carefully with a twirl of her fingers, blushing red when she stared at his body, the inking curiosity of how he looked underneath nestled in the back of her mind. “You can always change to a cat,” she offered hastily to cover her distracting thoughts.

“It’ll be fine,” he winked at her. Plucking a lone leaf from the side of her head, he tried to focus on the jagged edges instead of the sweet smell of her on the inside of the coat, lingering and coaxing him to oblivion. “I’ll make sure not to flash anyone.”

She flushed and took a step back, “Y-yeah…we can’t have that happen.” Her eyes wander over his form that was barely concealed before meeting his gaze. She jumped at how intensely he was looking at her, “can we?”

“We can’t,” he reached to tilt her chin up and to the side, frowning at the newly formed bruise on the left of her temple. “I’m sorry.” 

“For w-what?”

Her heart was pounding and what was worst was that he could probably hear it. He could probably feel the thudding of the easily embarrassed organ slamming itself against her chest harder the longer he kept his hand on her. He must think she was weird. 

“For not being able to prevent you from getting hurt,” he sighed, looking over her to see if she got any other injuries.

Her hand went up to the bruise, “Oh! No, this was from me walking into an open cabinet at…home.” She pouted, cheeks becoming three shades darker when he laughed.

“Is that the kind of trouble Nino meant?” He asked after his laughter died down, but chuckles continued to slip through for a few seconds. 

“Maybe,” Marinette answered lightly. She turned to walk towards the exit again when Adrien caught her hand again and pulled her gently to him. He steadied her and pressed his lips against the bruise, sending a wave of heat through them both.

“All better?” 

It was softer than she imagined.

She gulped, “Yeah.”

Not that she imagined the texture of his lips or anything, but they were smooth and warm. In a shock of thunder, she pictured them pressed them against her lips. Picture them molding over her, gently coaxing her to open up, his tongue tracing the edge until it slipped inside, seeking her own palette. His groan was a bolt of lightening through her system as he asked for more and she answered it eagerly. She would feel his grin against her when she dragged her teeth on his bottom lip, his thumb rubbing the heated point on her neck where her blood flowed too close to the skin. He kissed the corner of her lips, her jaw, and the quivering skin above her vein on her neck.

“Marinette." 

She jumped, flushing harder as she took many steps back, her hands waving in front of her. “S-sorry! I got lost in thought.”

“It’s okay,” he said in a rough voice, inhaling deeply. He wanted to be subtle with it but lost when he used all of his mental restraint from not dropping to his knees and pressing his face against her heat. He followed the heated points on her body. The side of her neck, the swells of her breast, the sweet curve of her inner wrist, the furnace of her desire that rested between her thighs.

“Should we go?” she asked, taking another step away from him.

“Sure,” he quickly made his way next to her, falling into step with her shorter strides. Being hyper aware of every movement she made, their fingers brushing against one another, “Lead the way.” 

“I usually do,” she joked. They made their way out of the park and walked silently through the streets of Paris. She glanced over to the litter of restaurants filled with patrons enjoying late dinner and a hearty amount of wine. 

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she looked up at him. “Just got a little nostalgic.”

“Of what?”

“When I used to walk you,” she chuckled at his frown. “But this is better.”

“Better how?” 

“You’re answering me with words instead of chirps and meows.”

“Yeah, this is better.” He agreed, warm as they continued their way to her home. Too soon, they were back at the bakery and an uncomfortable itch crawled down his throat as she stepped inside.

He wanted to follow.

“Thank you for walking me home.”

“Will I be able to see you tomorrow?”

Marinette gave a sad smile, “I have to go back to the Realm at six in the morning but…next time?”

His disappointment shifted to excitement, “Y-yeah! Um, may I have your phone number?"

After her amused chuckles, they exchanged their numbers. Her message of ‘hello’ lighting his screen made him giddy. “Send me a text anytime,” she smiled, not knowing the fireworks she shot inside of him.

“Thanks. Good night,” he said quietly, hesitate to move away from her but he stepped back, hoping that she would pull him inside.

“Good night,” she repeated, shutting the door carefully. Waving at him through the window before walking away.

 Her feet felt like stone, filled with regret as she made her way upstairs.

“Good night,” Adrien said to the wind but perked when a chime came from his phone.

‘ _Get home safely_!’

Adrien felt reenergized reading Marinette’s message. Nodding to himself at how the night panned out he pivoted to leave, watching the light from her room turn on. While the night wasn’t completely to his fantasy, it was a step closer to her.

He shot her back a message as well before walking away.

Tomorrow, he’ll ask Plagg about joining the Guards and, if he brought the finest Camembert to him, persuade the Elder in making him Marinette’s partner.


	5. Fashion

Marinette stirred the milk in her coffee carefully, watching the cloud of the milk mix with the bronze liquid. She slid the excess off her spoon and set it aside. Breathing the smell in, she took a sip and made a face. 

It needed more milk and sugar.

Pouring more milk and honey in the mug, she leaned down to pull the fashion magazine she bought at the corner store impulsively from her bag. It has been months since she last touched one. Since becoming Tikki’s Chosen, she sadly gave up her dream of being a fashion designer. There was no time for such childhood fantasy. 

She took another careful sip of her coffee and smiled at sweetness and creaminess. It reminded of her Paris. Sighing, she looked out to Royal City. Nature and buildings intermingle to create lush skyscrapers with sprouts of vegetation escaping high balconies. There were waterways for boat taxis and mermaids to use for travel, high bridges and docking pads for witches and faeries to land, and sidewalks decorated with ornate metal lampposts that illuminate the streets with a different tender color depending the day of the week. 

It wasn’t Paris but she liked it.

Marinette looked back down to her magazine and began to leaf through it. She was curious to learn about the latest spring trends – she hoped some shade of pink would be accepted for the upcoming season – and stopped at Gabriel Agreste’s advertisement for his upcoming line of suits.

Marinette set the page down and smiled at the model for no good reason except for being who he was. Adrien simply had that power over her. He looked handsome in the dark gray suit and patterned blue tie. His hair sleek back and the suit being unbuttoned and untucked made him look youthful and charming.

When they first met, she felt terrible for crashing into him. Then, she hated his human form due to a misunderstanding that was mostly her fault. She had the habit of jumping into conclusions. Following that, she liked his company during patrols in Paris mostly because she liked his kitty ears – they were pink on the inside. 

Now, she was entirely embarrassed and shy to be around him. Once it was revealed that her partner, Adrien Agreste, was the human boy that made her spill flour on herself and gave her his umbrella, something warm blossomed in her. It made her heart beat too quickly, her palms sweat, and she couldn’t breathe properly. She thought she was sick and told Tikki about it. 

Tikki only smiled gently as she always did and casually said, “You’re in love.”

Which was ridiculous because she cannot be in love with someone she barely had full conversations with and who was a Were. Weres were the lucky creatures that were able to find the loves of their lives through scents – which basically got rid of the whole dating aspect – and since Adrien never mentioned she was his mate, there was no point in pursuing him. From what Alya told her, Weres basically jump their mates’ bones and claim them from the moment they met. 

That did not happen to them. 

He never hinted or mentioned them being destined. 

So, there was no reason to linger on him. 

There was no future for them.

Still, Marinette had the habit of being positive and hopeful. She hoped deep down inside that she was Adrien’s mate. However, she knew she was setting herself up for failure and pain because she wasn’t. One day Adrien was going to present his mate to her and she would have to smile through the pain to introduce herself to the person she desperately wanted to be. 

She tried her hardest to hide her feelings towards him when they were together. In addition to finding the loves of their lives so easily, Weres also were blessed with the skill of reading someone’s scent to determined their mood. So, if she ever allowed her imagination to flourish when she was around Adrien, he was going to notice right away how in love she was with him. How desperate she was for his affection and touch. How he inspired her in every way possible.

She mentioned to him about her dream of being a fashion designer after the topic of his father’s career came up. He whole heartedly encouraged her to pursue her dreams despite her status. “Who says we can’t be more than what we're chosen for us.” His smile was tender and made her knees weak – and as much as she hated to admit it, she also liked his puns. 

But only when they were subtle and clever.

Marinette took her sketchbook out after ogling Adrien’s face for an embarrassingly long time. The same sketchbook Adrien bought her, encouraging her to design again, and twirled her pen before making soft strokes on the paper.

Naturally, her creativity flourished and she was nearing the completion of her sketch when she heard the happy chirp of Tikki’s voice. 

“You’re sketching again!” 

“Oh,” Marinette looked up and smiled, “I am.”

“What…are you sketching?” Tikki sat across from Marinette with an amused smile.

“A suit for winter.”

“Really?”

“Yes?”

“Ok,” Tikki leaned away and grinned, “Because for a second there I thought you were sketching Plagg’s Chosen with little hearts around him,”

“I…I am not!”

“Really?”

Marinette looked down at her sketch and paled then blushed. “I am,” she groaned and Tikki hid her laughter behind her hand. 

“Marinette, there’s nothing wrong with being in love with someone.”

“It is when that person is a werecat,” Marinette grumbled, taking a sip of her coffee. It was cold and she squirmed in her seat. “They mate for life and…I’m not his mate.”

Tikki lost her mirth; a little surprised he hadn’t told her yet. From what Plagg told her, everyone in the Noir pack knew Marinette was Adrien’s mate. Why hasn’t he said anything yet? 

Sighing, Tikki kissed Marinette’s cheek. “How about I treat you to a new cup of coffee?”

“Ok,” Marinette twirled her pen as Tikki left to get new drinks. She stared at her sketch of Adrien, blushing that she was so…infatuated with him that she drew him. Then again, he was in her dreams and fantasies. He was in the music she heard and in the chocolate she ate. He was in every green eyes she saw.

She was helpless.

Closing her sketchbook with a defeated sigh, she was greeted by his face in the magazine again and smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading so far and all the lovely comments!
> 
> I also have a multi-chapter fic called "Lune d'Or" if you want to read more of my...stuff? It's rated M though. :3


	6. Bell Collar

Adrien used to like summer. He liked the long days, cool drinks, and the flowers in full bloom. Summer colors were bright and saturated and there were events after events to celebrate and attend. What made the summer even better was when Alya told him that Marinette is going to stay in the Common Lands for two weeks.

“Stop shaking your legs,” Alya said over the rim of her phone. “It’s making me nauseous.”

“Sorry,” Adrien stopped but began to tap the top of his thighs.

“Mon Dieu, stop!” Alya shot up from the bench, “why are you so nervous?” 

“Why aren’t you nervous!?” He stood, too.

“Me? It’s just Marinette.”

“Just…just Marinette?” Adrien looked offended.

“Yes, just Marinette. You know? The girl you have been unofficially courting for the past two years since you’ve met. The same one that _doesn’t_ know that you’ve been courting her for the past two years.”

“Are you trying to say something?”

Alya snorted and rolled her eyes. “That you have to be more obvious because, so far, the monthly delivery of flowers isn’t working.”

“Should I make it weekly?”

Alya paused to give a pray of strength. “How about you stop asking everyone to meet up and hang out, and just hang out with her.”

“She doesn’t like me.”

“I smelt her, Adrien. She does like you.”

“But she doesn’t like me like _that_.”

Alya gasped, “Oh, in that case. You should give fate a call and tell them Mari Cake isn’t your mate.”

“She _is_ my mate,” Adrien growled out of instinct.

“Ah, yes. Because I need to know that,” Alya continued in her Southern France accent, lips turned to a mirthful grin. “Who gets you?”

“I don’t want to rush…,” Adrien felt the delicate aroma of flowers gesture to him. He inhaled deeply and turned around with a grin, “Marinette!” Meters away were two figures walking towards them, but Adrien only focused on the shorter one as he tried not to sprint to her. He used Alya as a measure for speed, but she was too slow and he ended up leaving her behind by a few steps.

From this distance, he saw her hair was swept up in a ponytail, showcasing her ears and he decided he loved summer. As they got closer, he was able to make out the detail of her clothing and decided he hated summer. His mouth went dry following the subtle sway of her soft rose dress, the teasing nature of the hem on her thighs. He followed it up to the snitched of her waist and to her neck. He struggled to breathe, cursing every otherworldly being there was because he could not touch her.

Then, he noticed she had a silk chocker with a tiny gold bell on it.

Mercy.

Please.

Every step and movement she made caused the bell to chime and it resounded through his bone. He was in control. He could not – should not and will not allow himself - to be brought to his knees because of a little golden bell. He repeatedly told himself this but he was stabbed in the heart, stomach, and groin when he saw the smooth expansion of her back.

“You’re whimpering,” Alya said low in a smug tone. 

“I’m...,” he slowed down, momentarily shifting his gaze to Nino that waved ecstatically.

“Do you like the choker I got her?”

“You,” Adrien hissed.

“You are terribly welcome,” Alya winked. “Marinette! You’re wearing the choker.”

“I am!” Marinette touched the bell, missing Adrien’s hunger pained gaze. “I really like it.”

“She’s been wearing it non-stop since she got it in the mail.” Nino swung his arm around Alya, “I’m still waiting for my gift, though.”

“There is no gift for you.”

Nino gasped dramatically, flung his hand to his heart. “Alya. Why?”

“Because Marinette is my number one. Also, it’s the least I can do after she gave me a bunch of her parents’ pastries.”

“W-what?” Adrien tried to be active in the conversation even if his gaze remained on her.

“Oh, that’s right,” Marinette frowned, “you weren’t there.”

“Weren’t there for what?”

“Marinette came for a short day trip, like four days ago.” Alya wrapped her own arms around Marinette.

“You did!?” Adrien looked between them, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I,” Marinette looked over to Alya, “I thought you told him.”

“Oops,” Alya tugged Marinette towards the creperie with a smug grin, “Must’ve slip my mind.”

“While you were stuffing your face with croissants,” Nino teased.

For thirty-six days he waited for her and he could have seen her sooner?

Adrien decided he hated Alya, too.

Marinette followed behind Alya and Nino, offering Adrien a wonderful view of her back. The gentle line down the middle had him fidgeting, and the flimsy tie on the back of her neck that held her dress up beckoned to be undone. Then there was subtle tan lines and swirls of her wings tattooed on her back that were taunting him.

“Um, if you like and if it’s not too much of a bother of you – for you!” She created, her cheeks reddened. “We…we can head over to my place…later?”

Yes, please.

“Ok.”

“Great! My parents made macrons today. So…you can have some if you like.”

That wasn’t what he had in mine but he wasn’t going to say no to free pastries and getting to know his future parents-in-law. He sighed and forced himself to walk faster so he could be by her side. He hated how there was so much he wanted to say to her but could not come up with a single logical sentence. Seventeen years old and he was still a tongue-tied brat around her.

But he had to say something.

Something like, “I must say, Mari, with that collar of yours, you are the belle of the ball.”

He saw Alya cringe alongside his inner self until her grin came in to view. She flicked the bell. “That was a beastly pun, wasn’t it?”

Oh, mon Dieu, he loved her.

“I’m terribly sorry.” Adrien reached for her hand, “I hope you can fur-give me.”

“Hm, I don’t know.” Marinette pushed his face away with a well-placed finger on his nose, causing him to stumble back and nurse his twitching nose. “Maybe after I get a ca-purr-ccino.”

Why hasn’t he married her?

“You ok there? Did you stub your toe or something?” Nino asked over his shoulder.

Adrien ripped his gaze away from Marinette. “No, why?”

“Because you kind of made a whimpering sound,” Alya’s smirked met his glare.

“Adrien!” 

Shit.

They all turned to see a small group of photographers.

“Friends?” Marinette asked.

“Paparazzi,” Adrien frowned.

“Adrien Agreste!” They shouted and ran up to them. “Who are your friends?!”

“Blondie here is a model,” Alya yawned, used this already.

“Model? Should we run?” Marinette asked.

Adrien answered by grabbing her hand and pulling her behind him as he ran. They left Alya and Nino behind, and he almost left her behind from the speed he ran until she tugged him into an alleyway. Now she was pulling him and he followed her faithfully.

She could take him to the center of the earth and he would go without a second thought.

“Here,” she pulled him down to a small enclosure underneath a balcony, long vines and greenery hiding them.

He landed on the ground, Marinette kneeling over him. Quiet, they heard the approaching footsteps of the paparazzi. At least he hoped they were quiet because his heart was pounding against his chest. She was so close to him. They haven’t been this close since the last time he caught her mid-air after being thrown by an akuma last season.

She shifted slightly and he heard the chime of the bell, taunting him more so now than ever. She was too close. Her hand pressed on his shoulder, her hips bumped against his forearm, her knees snug next to his thighs, and her chest, damnit, her chest was right in front of his face.

She was not wearing a bra and it made his blood scorch hot through his veins 

He tried to control himself, control his hands at least. She was too focused on the paparazzi to notice and he wished she did. His panting got louder and she hushed him, unaware of the burning inside him. Unaware of the fantasies he created, dragging her hips down to rest on him fully, his mouth on hers as he pushed his hands up her dress.

Would her skin be as smooth as the skin on her back? Would there be freckles on her stomach? Chest? Would her scent become potent? Begging for him to touch her further more and cover her with his musk. Would she offer her neck to be marked? He did not know and could not wait to find out, but for now, he undressed her completely except for the bell. The little golden bell that would chime every time they moved sharply against one another.

Forced out of his fantasy, she pushed closer to him, the steps were getting near to where they hid and Adrien’s mind only screamed at the softness of her chest grazing his cheek. The subtle plump of her nipple edging at the corner of his mouth, enticing like a cherry.

“We’re safe,” Marinette pulled away with a grin after a moment of stillness. She blinked in surprised at his disheveled state. “Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah,” he said thickly.

“Are you sure? Because you have cat ears.”

Shit.

“And fangs.”

Double shit.

“And a tail?”

Triple shit.

She leaned down to look at him and the bell shined in his eyes, teasing him once again of what he does not have outside of his fantasies.

“Adrien?”

He hated summer.

He hated Alya.

And he hated tiny gold bells.


	7. What if...?

Hues of lights burst from the open park across the street. Marinette leaned closer to the window, tilting her head to the side to catch a rupture of sparkle from the right. Although this was the fourth time she was attending the annual Fae Royal Court Ball, her stomach still churned in nerves. So far, she has not survived a Court Ball without making a fool of herself. 

The first year she tripped and accidentally pushed the Minister of Basil into the dessert table. The second year she made the Count of Reach spill wine on himself – Plagg approved since the Count was flirting with Tikki. The third year she flat-out rejected the advances of the Crown Prince of the Royal Court much to Tikki’s amusement.

A tinkle of sound filtered through and she turned around to Tikki, “I’m sorry. What was that?”

Tikki huffed lightly, “I said ‘Don’t worry.’ You’ll be fine.”

“You said that last year.” Marinette smoothed her blush stain gown over her hips, frowning at how the fabric flared out dramatically due to the width of her hips. The back was exposed, however, and allowed her wings to stretch out wide.

“And it was fine.”

Marinette’s wings fluttered in doubt. “I was summoned to the Royal Courts to explain why I rejected the Crown Prince.” A crackle of laughter pierced the room and Marinette glared at Nino. “It’s not funny.”

“Only because you didn’t see that pompous Prince’s face when you said ‘I’m not interested.’” Nino wiped his eye, sinking back into the couch. “It was the best.”

“Don’t you have somewhere you need to be?”

“Not really,” Nino stretched, “Alya is busy doing some Chosen stuff.”

“Marinette, are you sure you don’t want to take a date?” Tikki circled Marinette, fixing the tilt of headpiece Marinette wore. “Having someone there with you might be helpful.”

“And who do you suggest? Nino can’t go because of last time.”

“Sorry, Mari,” Nino smiled sympathetically but a pleased chuckle still escaped him. None of them wanting to touch upon the subject of Nino spelling the oldest Crown Princess to crock like a frog during his speech last year. They were lucky he wasn’t caught but Tikki banned him from attending until he was mature enough to not laugh at the memory.

“And if I do bring anyone, everyone will assume he’s my official suitor.” Marinette sighed, having a great dislike for the gossip columns.

“If you don’t, they’ll assume you’re on the hunt for one. You can’t win with them,”

“That’s true.”

Nino strolled over and took a photo of her. “For Alya,” he grinned. “Oh!” He pivoted with a broad grin on his face that was a little too well rehearsed in Tikki’s opinion, “I know who you can invite.”

“Who?”

“Adrien.”

Marinette chocked on the water she was drinking and bend over to avoid getting any of it on her dress. “W-what?” Her face was aflame and Tikki raised an eyebrow in interest.

“Yeah, I bet he won’t mind and he's used to the gossip column.” 

“Oh, yes. Adrien would be a great option. He’s used to these formal dinners, too.” Tikki smiled.

“What!?” Marinette stepped back, holding her glass down close to her chest until Tikki took it from her hands.

“You two have been messaging each other right?”

“N-not a lot,” Marinette wrung her hands. “And it’s really last minute. I can’t bother him.”

“There’s no harm in asking,” Nino offered, briefly remembering Adrien’s plead to suggest his name to Marinette as a possible date last week. The werecat even went as far as to get him tickets to Jagged Stone for the favor, which wasn’t necessary but Nino wasn’t going to tell Adrien that. Those tickets got him a date with Alya. That and Alya promised him a kiss if he helped her convince Marinette to ask Adrien to go with her.

How was he going to say no to that?

“I’m sure he’ll be _more_ than happy to be your date.”

Marinette stared back down to the park and felt excited at the possibility of spending the evening with Adrien. She imagined him knocking the door, dressed smartly in a lovely navy blue suit, a single peony in his hand with that charming smile. He has to know that smile melted her insides. They would laugh and dance the night away, find a restaurant or a café open late and enjoy each other’s company until the sun rose. 

What if he kissed her?

What if he fell in love with her?

What if he told her she was his mate? 

“Okay.”

Nino turned so quickly it hurt his neck, “W-what? Really!?”

“Yeah, there’s no harm in asking, right?” She smiled nervously.

Both Tikki and Nino held each others' hands as Marinette marched over to the counter to grab her phone. With bated breath, they watch her hovered over her screen until she dialed Adrien’s number and waited for him to pick up. A moment passed and they both mourn at the defeated smile she had.

“It went straight to voice mail but that’s alright.” She shrugged her shoulders, “It is last minute.” She looked over at the clock and realized the time. Adrien wouldn’t answer her. It was four in the afternoon in Paris. He was at fencing practice.

“Well, you tried and that’s all that matters,” Tikki kissed Marinette’s cheek. “I’m going to make some calls and in thirty minutes, we can head out. Okay?”

“Okay.” Marinette turned to the window again, the ‘what if’ still lingered in her mind but soon dissipate with reality sneaking in. 

“See ya latter,” Nino grinned, desperately trying to appear discreet as he frantically messaged Alya.

Marinette watched Tikki leave the room and felt nervous again. She started to imagine everything that could go wrong when Tikki left her side at the Court Ball. Maybe she should invite someone?

“Hey, Nino.”

“Y-yeah?”

“Do you think I should invite Nathaniel?”

“No!” Nino’s shout startled the both of them. “I-I mean, ‘Nah.’”

“Why not?”

“B-because _I_ can go with you.”

“Nino.”

“As friends.”

She laughed, “That’s not the issue. The issue is Tikki banned on you attending.”

“You know what. Let me try to convince her, okay?” Nino chuckled nervously and ran out of the room. In the hall he dialed Alya.

“ _Nino! What’s happening_!?”

“You need to find Adrien, now!”

“ _Why_?”

“Because Marinette called him and he didn’t pick up, and now she’s thinking about asking pretty boy Nathaniel to go with her since I’m banned!”

“ _Wait. Why are you banned and who is Nathaniel_?”

“Go find him first and I’ll explain everything!”

“ _Alright! I’ll call you in a few_.”

They hung up and he heard someone clear their throat. He glanced up and saw Tikki smiling pleasantly at him. “You know."

“I know?” Nino stepped back but gasped as he realized, “You know!" 

“I do know, and now that I know that you know, we can both work together.”

“Wait, does Marinette know?”

“No.”

“So we both know but Mari doesn’t…does Adrien know that you know?”

Tikki lost her smile, “I believe everyone, but Marinette is _aware_ that she is Adrien’s mate." 

“Even Plagg!?”

“Yes, he is the one that asked me to help him.” Tikki’s smiled returned, “which is why I also called him to locate Adrien and get him to the Realm.”

~o~o~o~o~

Adrien paused after a lunged and looked towards the doors of the practice studio. His coach perked an eyebrow and followed Adrien’s gaze. They both smelled Alya’s fast approaching scent. Alya rushed through the door as a fox. Deciding that this must be serious, he took off his helmet and approached her as his coach threw a large towel over her. 

“What’s happening?”

“Did you forget what day it is!?” She barked at him after she morphed back to her human self.

Adrien tilted his head, “Friday?”

“And what are you doing here?”

“Practicing.”

She snorted and then sneered, “Why?! Do you not remember what’s happening today?”

“Of course I remember!” Adrien frowned, “Today is the Court Ball in the Realm that Ladybug is attending.“ He began to refer to Marinette with the codename he gave her when he was around other pack members.

“And?”

“I was getting some practice in before it started. To elevate some of the nervous.” He has been anxious waiting for Marinette’s call all week. He prepared himself for the crushing disappointment of her not calling. But, he did rehearse what he was going to say to her if she did but what would he do afterward? Should he confess?

What if he did?

What if tonight was the night?

“It’s in a few hours.” He said.

Alya shut her eyes, “Holy Forest Beings, please give me strength. Do you know how much planning Nino and I made to make this happen and here you are?  _Practicing._ ”

“I don’t understand?” Adrien smelled a spike of Camembert waffling into the heavily humid room and sneezed. Turning around, Plagg strolled into the room. Why was he here?

“We’re four hours behind, cub.” Plagg grinned as Adrien’s face paled.

“What?”

“Ladybug called you,” Alya huffed, “And since you didn’t answer she’s going to ask some Nathaniel Realm kid to take her instead.”

“What?!” Adrien felt a rise of panic in him and turned to Plagg, “I need to go to the Realm, now.”

“Why do you think I’m here?” Plagg grinned smugly, “Just to look pretty? I got the car waiting outside with a change of clothes.” Plagg headed back to the car.

“Go,” Alya hissed and pushed Adrien forward.

Adrien nodded and ran after Plagg, hoping there was a mild cologne in the car that would make him smell better after an hour of training because he did not have time to shower.

~o~o~o~o~ 

“What did you say to her?” Marinette asked, stepping out of the car with Nino behind her.

“That I’ll be on my best behavior.”

“And that he will avoid the Crown Prince at all cause,” Tikki said, walking passed them. The hem of the red dress she wore trailed behind her. “Come now,” she led them towards the entrance but stopped when she noticed Marinette’s frown. “Is something wrong?”

Marinette touched her chest, almost as if to ease an ache that was there. “No. I just feel…off?”

“The nerves,” Tikki said softly.

“Yeah. Nerves.” She took a step forward but felt a force stop her, soothingly telling her to look behind her and she did. The crowd parted and her eyes widened. Adrien stood at the end dressed in a dark gray suit with that charming smile she loved.

What if she was his mate?

The thought twinkled in her as he strolled forward. He was panting slightly as if he ran here, but his eyes were too brilliant for her to notice.

“I heard you needed a date.”

The smile she gave him took his breath away. “I do.”

“May this knight have the wonderful honor of being your date for tonight’s ball, Princess?”

She gave a quick look of disapproval, but the amusement she had come through at the roll of her eyes and her exasperated smile. She nodded, “As long as you don’t disappear on me at midnight, Chaton.”

He loved her.

He offered his elbow and she held it lightly. He felt over the moon. What if tonight was the night? The lingering hope in his mind whispered encouragingly and seeing the twinkle in her eyes, he decided he was going to tell her tonight.

No more what ifs.


	8. I Owe You One

“You’re a little too excited,” Alya drank from her bottle of sparkling water.

“I am,” Adrien whispered to her, waiting for the portal to open.

“Don’t be.”

“Why?”

“Because we’re going to the Realm to hunt for an akuma,” Alya hissed. “Not to visit a pretty fae with  _blue bell eyes_  and  _hair as dark as night_ , you know.” 

Adrien glared at her, “You read my poem.”

“Well, it was right there.” 

“Hey,” Trixx looked over her shoulder with a stern frown, “stop teasing the cat, Kit. We’re actually doing something important for once.”

Wayzz sighed, “Trixx.”

“It’s true,” She defended, crossing her arms over her chest. “Now hurry and get to it. I have an appointment at eight.”

“So late?”

Alya snorted, “Yeah, it’s with her couch to watch  _Suitors_.” Trixx glared her angrily and Alya looked out around, “Who said that?”

“The door is opening,” Wayzz announced.

“Joy,” Plagg muttered with a yawn. Light broke out in a crack in front of them and arched into a doorway.

An hour ago a distressed call came from Pollen, the representative of the Pixies, regarding an akuma on the loose in Royal City. The akuma, however, was one that created wormholes. Sending people to different timelines. Pollen had already contacted Master Fu and Tikki, but believed it would be beneficial to call the representatives in the Common Lands, too.

“Can we get a cool name, too?” Alya asked, watching the portal get bigger.

“A cool name?” Trixx frowned.

“Yeah. In the Realm, Marinette and Nino are part of the Guards. What about us?” 

“How about Heroes?” Tikki voice filtered through and Plagg immediately threw himself through the portal. He entered the gleaming city of Royal with its arching tree branches and running water. “Or Watch.”

“Tikki,” Plagg greeted her warmly, “You’ve come to see us.”

Adrien followed seconds later, feeling the rush of pure magic in the air. He sniffed and pinched his nose. It was strong. Alya and Trixx jumped through while Wayzz walked in calmly.

“Oh Dieu,” Alya sneezed thrice, “It’s so strong.”

“Oh hush,” Trixx sighed, twitching her nose at the smell.

“Sensitive nose?” Plagg smirked, pulling a cigarette out regretfully. Although he could still smell his mate’s scent clearly through the tar of his cigarette, it still dulled it in the slightest that made him pout. However, it was either the cigarette or suffering through the coiling hair rising stench of pure magic.

It was also common for him and Trixx to smoke on the regular in Paris. With so many smells and stenches, it over stimulated their senses. Cigarettes, thankfully, blocked and dulled the abundant amount of information they received. Making the street of Paris barely for their day-to-day activities.

“Yeah,” Trixx accepted the cigarette he offered and lit it. “Don’t look at me like that.”

Alya frown, “So what? We’re going to suffer?” She sneezed again.

“Yeah, until next year when you’re old enough to legally smoke.” Trixx took a drag and sighed contently.

Plagg patted Adrien’s head. “Just be happy your sense of smell hasn’t fully matured yet like my cub here.” Plagg held a cigarette to Adrien, “Want one?”

“I feel as if I should be scolding you,” Tikki frowned, crossing her arms.

“He’s a few weeks shy of being eighteen,” Plagg reasoned, “and look at him, he’s dying.”

“I’m fine,” Adrien said tightly, his nose still pinched shut but he can smell the magic and the sickening effect it was having on him.

Plagg sighed dramatically, “If only he had a mate’s scent to distract him.”

Both Adrien and Tikki perked up.

“Follow me,” Tikki soon ushered them towards the Royal Courts, remembering she left Marinette there with Pollen and Nooroo. They walked through the empty streets, their foot step echoing soundly.

“Where’s everyone?” Alya asked, following Adrien’s lead and pinching her nose with her fingers.

“Gone,” Tikki answered. “The akuma has frightened them all into hiding. The City is under a state of emergency.”

“What does it do?” Plagg asked.

“Do you never pay attention?” Trixx frowned.

“Sometimes.”

“It creates some kind of portal-wormhole,” Tikki corrected as she led them under the curved organic lampposts. “It sends people to different timelines. We already lost a few Guards and it sent some strong, ancient akumas to use from the past.”

“Marinette?” Adrien frowned, hoping she was safe. The last time he saw her was at the Fae Royal Court Ball where he planned to confess his love to her when, as his luck would have it, an akuma decided to attack. At the end of the night, Marinette was summoned to the Royal Court for reporting.

In other words, he did not confess.

The only good thing that happened that night was the long uninterrupted amount of time he had with Marinette. That, and the gossip column stating he was her official suitor.

“Leading,” Tikki grinned, “My Chosen is a natural born leader.”

“If only we can all be lucky,” Trixx grinned at Alya.

“This is why I make your coffee strong,” Alya glared.

“I image you captured them?” Wayzz asked before Trixx and Alya could argue again.

“Yes, destroying them might disrupt the timeline. So, they are contained for now.” They rounded a corner and came up to a tall building with structural columns holding the dominating structure up above the rest. “We decided it would be best to split the reaming Guards into groups.”

“Your Chosen?”

“Well,” Tikki glance at Adrien, “I thought it would be best if she was grouped together with one of the other Chosens.”

Adrien snapped his head to Plagg. The stern look he gave clearly stated his opinion to Plagg. Frowning, Plagg suggested with a sigh, “Why not Adrien? They’ve already been partnered together in the Common Lands for patrols.”

Smiling, Adrien waited for Tikki to agree and he was not disappointed.

“I was thinking the same thing, too.” They walked up the steps of the daunting building, Tikki smiling at the guards posted there as they opened the main doors and saluted. “Marinette will be pleased to hear this.” 

“You’re so obvious,” Alya whispered to him.

“Who said I’m trying to be discreet?”

“What? Chat Noir is finally going to be direct? What brought this on?”

Through a long hallway, Adrien picked up the floral notes of Marinette’s scent and felt his hair rise. “I feel lucky,” Adrien smiled confidently as they got closer to Marinette. Another set of doors had guards posted at the entrance and she was on the other side of that door.

The doors opened.

Adrien resisted the urge to push through the Elders to get to Marinette and when he saw her everything became vibrant, and then it soon dulled when he noticed the man standing across from her at a little too close for his personal liking. The man looked bashfully as Marinette held a single red rose in her hand, her smile genuine and kind.

“Still feel lucky?” Alya teased, stepping forward to get Marinette first. “Mari Cake!”

“Oh,” Marinette turned to them, her smile widen and lit the room. “I’m so glad you came! Although I wished it was for a more pleasant reason.”

“Who’s the red head?” Alya asked, stretching her hand to the tall man, “Alya.”

“Nathaniel,” he smiled warmly. “Pleasure.”

“Chosen?”

“No, I’m afraid not.”

“Nathaniel is one of the Royal Court Painters,” Marinette supplemented.

“I heard Marinette will be scouting for the akuma and I came to see her off.” Nathaniel looked up at the Council Members and introduced himself. He paused at Adrien, feeling uncomfortable at the smug irritated smile the blonde had.

“Adrien.”

“P-pleasure?” The tips of Nathaniel’s elongated ears reddened. It was an embarrassing habit he had since he was young that broadcasted his timid nature. However, he recently began to accept his uncontrollable blushing when he saw Marinette shared the same habit.  

“Enough with the pleasantry,” Plagg grumbled, “I want to get this over quickly and go back home. So…get going Elf Boy.” Plagg shooed him away.

“Plagg,” Tikki reprimanded, ready to apologize to Nathaniel but he waved it off.

“No worries, Madame Tikki. I completely understand.” He turned to Marinette and placed a hand over his head, “May the Light guide you,” Nathaniel bowed his head.

“Thank you,” Marinette smiled and it made his ears burn more. Thankfully, it blended with his hair easily.

“Back to the reason why we’re here,” Plagg pushed forward, notching the bad mood his Chosen was in now.

“The akuma is dangerous as we know,” Tikki stepped forward. “So, we’re going to break off in groups. Marinette.”

“Yes?”

“You’re with Adrien.”

~o~o~o~o~ 

Marinette took a peek at Adrien over her shoulder. He was upset and it was distracting. She already asked what was bothering him but he said it was not something he wanted to talk about. It only made her concern surge. Was he not feeling well? Did something happen at home? Was his family okay?

“I’m fine.”

“What!?” Marinette jolted, her hands slapped on her face. “W-why would you-”

“I can smell it,” Adrien smiled and tapped his nose. “You’re worried.”

“I’m…sorry?”

“No, it’s okay. It actually makes me happy.”

The smile she gave him was gentle, “I…if you ever need to talk to someone. I’m here to listen.”

“Thank you.”

“Wait.” Suddenly her cheeks reddened under the twilight, tempting him to press a kiss there. “You can smell me?”

“Yeah.”

“How much?”

“Very well.”

“How well?”

“I can read your feelings.”

“That’s…that’s not fair.”

“How so?”

She frowned, “You can tell if I’m upset through my…smell. But, you, I need to stare at you and decipher your feelings. It’s not funny.”

“I don’t expect you to know how I feel,” his grin warmed her.

“Then how am I supposed to know how you feel?”

“By asking.”

“I did and look what that got me,” she crossed her arms, unimpressed by his answer.

“Ah, that’s true. Sorry.” Amused and happy, he took the chance and told her, “I was jealous.”

“Jealous of what?”

“Of Nathaniel.” The confusion showed on her face and inked through her scent. “He can see you whenever he wants to and…I wish I could do the same.”

“I see,” Marinette looked at her hands, attempting to think of a way to fix this. “I…I don’t see you often, do I?”

“Not as often as I would like. You’re my best friend,” the word “friend” was lead in his mouth and regretted the instant it spilled from his mouth. There was a subtle shift in her scent. A subdue disappointment that cleared away almost instantly, too quickly for him to place a thought on it.

“I see,” Marinette tugged on the end of her. “Then, how about this. I usually have Sunday afternoon off. What if I come by to the Common Lands and you, Alya, Nino, and me can get lunch.”

“What if Alya and Nino are busy?”

“Then we’ll get lunch.”

“Just the two of us?”

“Yes…unless that’s too bothersome for you.”

“No,” he reached for her hand, kissing the tips. “I’ll be honored.”

Marinette sighed and pulled her fingers away. Smiling at him as she went on with the patrol, “Aren’t you charming.”

“I am. I’ve also been told I’m clever.”

“Have you? How about handsome?”

“That, too.”

“Hm, I wonder if I should just call you Handsome, then.”

“You can call me whatever you like.”

“I can?” She chuckled; her scent was the color of a rose. Beckoning him, luring him to a pleasant state of happiness and relaxation. “Like what?”

“Well, Adrien and Handsome are great name options for me. I approve of them. There is also Chat Noir, in case you need a code name for me.”

“I thought Handsome was a good enough code name.”

“It is, but everyone is going to know you’re talking about me.” He smirked.

She gasped overdramatic, going along with his logic. “I see. How about Sunshine?”

“Sunshine?”

“Yeah, for your hair,” she turned and strolled up to him, her hand ran through his hair. “It reminds me of the sun.”

“O-okay,” he followed the pull of her hand, almost burying his face in the nook of her neck.

“I also like Chaton.” She laughed at his pout. “I think it’s reasonable.”

“Just because I’m a werecat?”

“No,” Marinette reached for his hair again, eliciting a reaction from him when she touched his ears and massaged his scalp lightly. “Because of these,” she smiled when his black ears popped up. Causing his cheeks to burn when she ran her thumbs over them. “They come out when you’re happy, right?”

“Yeah,” Adrien cleared his throat, feeling it lower at the gentle pressure of her hands. She was so close to him, centimeters away from him.

While all weres could control their animalistic appearance, he could not tell her that the involuntary appearance of his ears was mostly due to his excitement in other aspects that involved physical touch. Intimacy brought out animal instinct and, embarrassingly, appearances, too.

“Hey,” she pulled away, blushing lightly too for getting to carried away. “What about me?”

“You?”

“Yeah. I want a codename,” she ducked under a lower branch.

“Princess.”

“Princess?”

“Yes. I also refer to you as Ladybug. Your wings,” he stated at the perk of her eyebrow. “They remained me of ladybug wings.”

She huffed in amusement, “Makes sense. Anything else?”

Adrien’s heart began to thunder desperately in his chest, nervous coursed through him as he stopped following her. His mouth opened to speak, but words lingered for a moment before his voice rang through the woods they were walking through.

“Mate.”

Marinette stopped walking, the word he said was low and far, and she was unsure if she heard him correctly. She went to turn around, to face him and ask him to repeat it once more when a blast of fire collided with the ground meters away from them. Before she knew what she was doing, her wings, large and prominent, peeled from her back. The tan tattooed swirls bending up from her skin in a translucent sheen until they solidified and gained a deeper color of mesmerizing opal.

She flew up and went to search for the sound in the sky while Adrien took the ground. A slender akuma was slithering through the trees and landed in its path, throwing a blast of pure energy at it. Causing it to deter from its path and launched him towards the tree line.

The emerald green akuma shook its head and glared at her, it body coiled up like a snake. Marinette smiled confidently, feeling her best during moments like these. No feelings were involved. No conflicting thoughts. Just the pure and shared goal she had with the rest of the Guards to defeat the akuma.

She shrugged her flats off, curling her toes at the feel of the grass beneath her toes. Magic tingled at the tips of her fingers and she waited for the akuma to make its move. From the corner of her eyes, she saw a black mass creeping along the edge, assuming it was Adrien she made her way towards it carefully, keeping her gaze on the akuma.

“Adrien,” she called out to the giant cat but was met with a hiss. Jerking around, another coiling red akuma rose from the trees and barely avoided its teeth as it lunged at her. She dodged and rolled to the left, blocking a blast of black magic for the green akuma. A jolt of electricity was charging towards her from the right, and she was pushed to the ground by a warm body.

The attack missed them.

Marinette looked up at Adrien’s concerned cat green eyes and smiled, “I owe you one.”

He did not find her unfazed behavior comforting and frowned. He shifted above her and she, in turn, frowned at the cracking of bones as Adrien grew meters taller and centimeters bigger. Together, they were able to defeat the red smaller akuma. However, when it came to the green one the battle lasted longer.

Marinette was able to impale three arrows in the akuma’s shoulder. Adrien landed a dozen attacks and pushed it back until the akuma circled them wearily, fatigue tugging at its form.

“It’s getting tired,” Marinette said. Adrien hissed and made a few rumbles from his chest. “I said I was sorry,” Marinette whispered back to him. “It’s not like I meant to get hit. I’m fine.” She reassured him even though her stomach throbbed painfully. “Let’s just-”

She was cut off when the akuma formed a black energy in its mouth and rapidly hurled it towards her. Realizing too late the speed of the attack, she braced herself for impact. Her arms went up to protect her head and when the attack made its impact, she felt nothing but warmth.

She opened her eyes and gasped. Adrien stood in front of her, his arms around her. “Adrien?” she wrapped her arms around his unmoving form, crying out as his form began to vanish in her arms.


	9. Aged-Up Marinette

Adrien exhaled, panicking as he saw no Marinette in his arms. He looked around, recognizing the scent of the woods. There was no akuma and, worse, no Marinette. He lost his mate. Where was she? He roared for her and nothing answered back.

A twig snapped and promptly turned towards the sound, tensed as a hooded figure stood there. He snarled and the figure laughed.

“So this is when it sent you,” the figure said and he instantly recognized the voice. He made a small trill and the figure tilted its head up, a smirk carved perfectly on her face. “You’re really a cat, aren’t you, Chaton?”

Underneath the shadow of the hood, Adrien saw Marinette’s face. He rushed over to hug her and then froze. Stiffly, he took steps back. Shocked and slightly confused. Marinette was supposed to fit a few centimeters under his chin. This Marinette fitted perfectly under his chin. As if she read his mind, she lifted the hem of her clock and presented the heels she was wearing.

But that wasn’t it. 

Something else was off and, again, she read his confusion perfectly.

“You’re in the future,” she answered, circling him. “About ten years I think,” she laughed again at the confused chirrup he made. “The akuma in your time, it transported you into the future.” Adrien’s ears lowered and she, once again, knew what he was thinking. “I’m fine. You, future you, got sent back – took your place actually – and helped my younger self defeat the akuma and bring you back. So, you won’t be here too long. Just don’t tell anyone on my end since I came here without my partner’s permission.” 

She lowered her hood and revealed a hint of her scent. Adrien recognized two unknown notes in her normally feminine aroma. The first one was male and he bristled visibly. A possessive surge blazed through him and it must have shown on his face because she chuckled. He was burning. Jealousy and possessiveness surged in him like rising smoke. Who made the imprudent decision to get so close to his mate and mark her with their scent? His mouth pulled back in a snarl and she turned his face away with a well-placed finger. He whined, unsure and upset, his tail flicking back and forth.

“You’re being dramatic.” His shuffling caught her attention because she sighed and went to undo her cloak. “He’s going to be very upset with me.” The words were low but he caught them and he was momentarily confused until the cloak slipped from her shoulders and he recognized the second note. A spice that he smelled throughout his life with expecting mothers.

She was pregnant.

The cloak covered him, she even pulled the hood over his head, but he made no move to change until she nudged him. He shifted quickly; unable to process much besides the fact she was pregnant.

“You’re pregnant!” He shouted once he was able to speak, pushing the hood off his head, surprising her with his intensity.

Then, the first scent, the masculine musk, knocked him out. His knees gave out and she steadied him against her body, pressing his face close to her soft stomach. He shut his eyes and inhaled deeply and whimpered.

That was his musk intermingling with hers.

“Almost two months,” he heard her and his cat ears involuntarily popped out from his head. She started to play with them lightly. Unable to control himself, his scent flooded the area they stood in and Marinette scrunched her nose. “Whoa there, Alley Cat. No need to try and seduce me. I’m already baking your bread.” He pulled away and looked up at her sharply. “Now, don’t look so smug.” She pulled at his cheek lightly. “Or else I won’t like you.”

“My…?” He was hesitant to ask even though he knew the answer just by his nose.

“Yes. I think? It’s future you, if that helps.” She chuckled, helping him back to his feet. “Are you okay? Do you feel sick or nauseous from the time travel?” She was sure she broke him since his gaping face has not moved for a few moments. “Adrien?” 

Her eyes were still a vivid bluebell. He reached to touch her but paused again, unsure until she pressed her cheek into his hand. The baby fat she had smoothed away only slightly. Her lips were still a maddening rose pink, and she had long hair now, ending below her bust. 

“Mate?”

She brought her finger to her lips, “I won’t know until I’m nineteen. So, shh.”

His shout of happiness burst out from his lungs, expelled into the air and he went to grab her in a tight embrace as he always wanted to but stopped. As much as he felt the need to hug her, kiss her like he always dreamed, he wanted to share that moment with his Marinette.

“Excited?”

His grin was large and grew with the curve of her lips. “Yes. Wait,” his smile dropped, “what are you doing out here in the middle of the night! It’s dangerous especially with the cub." 

“I know. I know. Future you already gave me this lecture on being careful. No more flying, no more missions, desk work only, blah, I’m your husband and I’m mean and boring. Meow. Meow. Hiss.”

“H-husband?” He whispered in shock. “I’m your…husband?” 

“Oh, I’m not really good at this, am I?” She pulled at the end of her hair lightly for comfort, a habit he noticed she had since they met.

“N-no! It’s fine. I’ll…take that into consideration for the future then,” Adrien laughed, eyes sparkling. “Wow.”

“Happy?”

“Beyond." 

Marinette reached to fix his hair, not making a comment on his pheromones saturating the woods again. She felt nostalgic looking at him at his age again. “I’m sorry for being dense for so long.”

Adrien shook his head, “It’s fine. I like that about you.”

A beeping echoed through the woods and Marinette looked down to her tiny wristwatch. “Few minutes left until you’re back in your time. Anything you want to say or ask? I promise to be as vague as possible.”

“I…I guess what did I do to…have you?”

“Not much since you already had me,” she broke him again.

His desperate whimper made her grin. Adrien had not been this hesitant and shy with her since he revealed to her she was his mate. The first few months of their official romance was fill of him asking for permission to kiss and embrace her. Then, one day, she told him he did not need to ask her all the time. So, he began to ask less and do more. 

Now, he took kisses when he wanted them, held her when he wanted to and touch her when he craved her.

“You didn’t give up on me,” she answered. “Even when I gave up on you.” 

“What?” He began to fade again like chalk on pavements under the summer sky. “Wait,” he touched his chest and looked back at her, “what do you mean!?”

“See you, Chaton.” He disappeared, leaving behind fluff of time residue. Sighing, she turned around with a large smile. “So how was it?” 

Adrien, older and slightly taller, stood there with a stern frown and arms crossed. “How did you get here?” 

“I flew.” 

“Marinette!”

 


	10. Aged-Up Chat Noir

Everything dropped into the pit of her stomach. Inhaling deeply in disbelief, the pressure of his body was gone and a few seconds later she realized what happened and shot her gaze up at the akuma. Anger surged in her, agony and rage boiled in the base of her chest and erupted.

She stood up, her aim on the akuma that was making its escaped but before she could chase it down, a deep and smooth voice halted her. “You really did care about me even now, huh, Lovebug?” 

Marinette pivoted and held her hand up, set to release a blast of magic towards the intruder. “Who are…?” She faltered, confused as she recognized the man in front of her.

“Adrien Agreste. Alpha of the Noir Pack. The man of your sweet dreams.” Adrien smirked arrogantly, a subtle confidence that arose from him through his relaxed posture but his eyes were intense and focused. There was something else he wanted to say, she saw it but he bit it back. “You can lower your hand now.”

Instead, the attack grew brighter as her glare hardened.

“It’s me. Trust me.” Adrien held his hands up passively but he didn’t look at all threatened by her attack. Her scent was still guarded; untrusting and he expected nothing less from his strong-willed mate. However, his eyes skimmed to her stomach and remembered the angry bruise she will have tomorrow morning.

“I do not trust you.”

“You dough not?” 

Immediately the tension melted away from her stance and an unimpressed frown appeared instead. She dropped her hand. “Adrien.”

“Lovebug.”

She turned around, continuing her hunt of the akuma. “Why are _you_ here?”

“I’m here to whisk you away of course and, perhaps, apply some icing on your stomach.” He laughed when she stopped and shot her hand up again. “I thought you liked my puns.”

Unimpressed, she sighed and dropped her hand. “I’m fine.”

“I’m from the future. I know it’s not. Trust me.”

She looked over to him, knowing deep inside she did trust him. His aura was the same as present Adrien. It brought her peace even when he made her heart putter. Despite being in the shadows, she saw he was older by a few years. She imaged his hair would have been styled in a professional undercut if it wasn't for his journey through the forest with her. He was also taller. Shoulders were broader. He gave an imposing appearance, graceful and powerful like a panther, but something behind his eyes made her think of when he gave her his umbrella.

Her nose twitched. Alongside with sensing his aura, she could smell him vividly. Recently, her sense of smell became heightened and she wondered if it was because of the strong bond she had with him. While everything smelled stronger, his scent was a beacon, calling to her. He smelled of the sandalwood and a distinctive musk that was purely him.

“I guess I do loaf your puns.” She finally said and it brought a bright grin to his face. His gaze was warm, tender, and there was something there that she could not place.

“I knew you did,” he stepped closer, brought his face under the moonlight and blinked when she suddenly reached up and tilted his chin down.

“You got hurt,” she stated, tracing the scar on his cheek that curved up around his eye socket. 

“I did and so did you.”

“How did you get it?”

“Protecting someone important to me,” he took her hand and kissed the tips.

She pulled away, “What about your modeling career?”

“It stopped, thankfully.” Adrien seemed unfazed by her rebuff, touching his scar and remembering a past that still had not happen.

“Were they worth it?”

“Absolutely.”

“Who was it?”

“Ah, sorry, Tart. Can’t reveal too much of the future.”

She turned and followed the akuma once more. Not wanting to linger on the stubble she felt under her fingers or how it made him even more attractive. She had to focus. “How far in the future are you?”

“Curious?”

“Yes.”

“How old are you?”

She looked over her shoulder. “A few months passed seventeen.”

He frowned, again he was remembering but this time, she saw it was unpleasant. He looked back at her, something, again, was on the tip of his tongue. “Almost ten years.”

“Then, my Adrien is in the future?”

He smiled, “Yes. Your Adrien is in the future with my Marinette.” The plum of bashfulness spread in her scent and he ached to touch her. She lacked his scent, his musk on her flesh, lacked his mark that claimed her as his mate and it distressed him. He was used to having his mark on her, the fresh scent of hers mixed with his distinct aroma that warmed his heart. “I’m here to help you defeat the akuma so I can return back to my Marinette in my time and your Adrien can return to you.”

“Makes sense. I’m assuming you don’t know how or where to find the akuma.”

“That was all on you,” Adrien plucked a stray leaf from her hair and pressed his cheek against hers. “From what you told me, I was like a stray kitten following you around. You knew what to do.”

She slipped through his arms and went on. “Oh, we’re still in contact with each other in the future." 

“Yes, we’re extremely close.” He snickered, watching her closely as they jumped over a fallen log. He caught her arm - mostly because he wanted to - when they crossed over a small stream. 

“I don’t know why. But I can’t help but think you’re a recipe for disaster.” 

“ _I’m_ the recipe for disaster?” He gave a humorous bark, throwing his arm around her shoulders. “ _You’re_ the one that gets reckless over a rumor.”

Marinette shot him a soft glare, “Rumor? And I’m never reckless.” He snorted and she ignored it. “Are my actions always polished? No. Are they well thought out? Not really.”

“You’re not making feeling butter.”

“But, everything I do has a purpose and can you please stop with the hugging.” She blushed, realizing that she was in his arms and he buried his face in the crook of her neck.

“Oops. Sorry. I like to be affectionate with the people I love." 

Her breath hitched. She forced herself to let it roll off her shoulders as she pressed on, hoping he didn’t catch it. But he did. “You’re a kneady kitty, aren’t you?”

“Can’t help it. I’m bread that way…I'm especially affectionate with my mate and our cubs.” She had a thin layer of his musk on her, an adolescent claim he wished he made when they first met.

“O-oh. Someone married you?”

“Yes,” he purred, pleased at the emotions he was reading off of her. “We have a two-year-old and she’s currently pregnant with our second child.”

“Second?” She eyed him, “You had kids young…but that’s common for weres, I guess. Once they find their mates.”

He laughed loudly and quickly quieted down by her sharp shushing. “Yes and no. I found my mate when I was a teenager. So, we waited ten years from the moment we met to start having children.”

“But now she’s baking?”

The pleasant gleam in his eyes made her cautious, it was mischievous and pleased. “Yes, she is rising.”

“You said you met your mate when you were a teenager, right?”

“Yes?” His tail was flicking back and forth in excitement.

“If you don’t mind me asking, and hopefully this doesn’t mess up your future, who is she?”

“Sorry, Love. I cannoli say so much.”

Her phone chimed, halting whatever question she was going to ask next. Adrien tilted his head, “From the Court?”

“Yes and no. It from Felix, a Guard I know. He’s asking when I'm coming back…am I still in contact with him in the future?” She paused at his annoyed smile. “Is something wrong?” 

He bent down, ready to tell an extensive lie that would most likely cause a rift in the timeline, but a stream of light came towards them. Grabbing her, Adrien propelled them to the left, dodging the lightening blast from the akuma. When he set her down, he saw that he accidentally emitted more of his musk and it got on her. 

Jealousy does that.

Eh, from what he remembered, he wasn’t so annoyed to have his scent from his future self on her when he came back to this time.

“That’s the akuma.” Marinette’s wing fanned out from her back.

“We just rolled right up to him, didn’t we?” He morphed, clothes ripping as he grew bigger and fur sprang from his skin.

“It’s weak. So, let’s make this quick,” Marinette went left and Adrien went right. Between the two of them, and Adrien’s fifteen years of experience in fighting akuma, they were able to purify the akuma in minutes. Adrien delivering the final blow with his claws sinking into the akuma and Marinette shooting it with a cleansing arrow form from her magic.

She wiped the sweat from her temple and turned to Adrien. “I guess I’ll see you soon?”

“Yes. Oh, and this next upcoming year is going to be hard on me. So, please be kind.”

“What do you mean?” Marinette asked, concerned as he began to vanish. “Wait!” Gone. She heard a snap of a twig behind her. She turned and held her hand up with an energy beam ready to expel.

“Marinette?” Adrien from her time stood there, looking slightly lost as he stared hard at her, almost in disbelief. While her scent was not saturated with his scent like her future self, it was there. A lingering kiss, an adolescent claim as it was called in the were community, was on her skin that hinted she was taken. 

What did he do?

Then, he was overtaken. Remembering the future he may possibly have. He rushed forward and threw his arms around her and she returned it tightly. “Are you okay?” 

“I am, but what about you? I was worried! Adrien?” His knees buckled again and she followed him. “Adrien? Are you okay?”

“Beyond.”


	11. Milk (Rated M)

“Milkshakes from the Realm can never compare to the Common Lands,” Marinette licked her lips, enjoying the sweetness of the vanilla that lingered there. She was enjoying the spring air. “I bet it’s because of the cows. They're fatter here.”

Adrien hummed his agreement, watching her plush pink lips encase the tip of the straw and suck. “Cows,” he mumbled, wondering why he was being teased. He was a good person. He volunteered and got perfect marks in all of his classes. He kept his perverted thoughts to himself and strived to make sure he wasn’t making her uncomfortable.

Yet, here he was, watching her like he was standing at the gates of heaven unable to go through, watching her like man who did not have a sip of water in days and she was a refreshing waterfall, a well filled with cool crystal clean water. He glanced down to the cleft of her thighs and gulped.

What has he done to deserve this much bad luck? 

He couldn’t even confess to her without something stopping him like a phone call from the Elders, Royal Court Summoning, and awful interruptions by akumas. He didn’t want to think about the Court Ball from two years ago or even last year’s. Twice, the monstrous creatures decided to cause havoc seconds before he was going to tell Marinette she was his mate under the Realm’s gleaming full moon.

So, he decided confessing at the Fae Royal Court Ball was now not an option. Perhaps he should take her to the top of the Eiffel Tower. That’s romantic, right? Then again, his wife, also known as Future Marinette, mentioned that she would find out when she was nineteen and that was coming around the corner soon.

“Adrien?” 

“Hm?

“Are you okay?”

“Oh, yeah!” he jolted and blushed, rubbing the back of his neck bashfully. “Just lost in thought.”

“Are you sure?” Marinette lifted an arched brow and grinned, “I know what’s wrong.”

“Y-you do?”

Mon Dieu, does she know? Should he be happy? Concern?

“You want some of my milkshake.”

Disappointed. He was disappointed.

“Oh, um, you caught me. I guess it’s in my nature.”

“Because you’re a cat?” Marinette chuckled and set the milkshake in front of her, “here. Have a taste.”

Mentally berating himself, he reached out to grab the glass when her hand encased his, and her lips found his for what seemed to be a lightening second. Her lips were soft and lush, but strikingly cold compared to the hand on his check. Nevertheless, the stark sensation lit fires in him.

She pulled away, blushing as she rested her forehead against his. “How was it?”

Licking his lips he tasted the faint traces of vanilla.

Sweet.

She was so sweet.

“Ah, your kitty ears are out.”

Shit, that was embarrassing.

“I-I’m s-” He tried to apologize but she pressed a kiss to his cheek, leaving a chill mark there. “M-Marinette,” he gulped, his heart throbbing against his chest where her hand laid.

“Should I not kiss you?”

“No!” He yelled and immediately blushed afterward. “I…I, um, mean it’s not that.”

“Then what is it? Did you not like the milkshake? I thought it was good.”

“No, the milkshake is delic-delicious,” Adrien blinked, his mind still a muddled mess but the ice cream she smeared on his jaw jolted him. “Marinette?”

“Yes?”

“Why did you put-fuck,” he jumped and let out an embarrassing mew as her tongue passed over the sweet frozen treat on his heated skin. It dribbled down his chin and she followed it until her lips enclosed over the base of his neck and sucked. He remembered the way her cheeks hollowed when she was sucking her straw and only imagined what she might look like now.

She wrecked him and he didn’t know what to do. Should he touch her? Because, Dieu, he wanted to touch her but his hands remained by his sides, debating on grabbing her waist, embracing her tightly, or lifting her up to lay her down on the metal café table even if they were in public.

The thought of stopping her, however, never entered his mind. He was far too willing to go as far as she wanted. When he decided to finally move his and onto her waist, she pulled away. He whimpered at the lose of warmth on his neck, dizzy with the suppressed desire that wanted to overflow.

“You don’t want it?”

“I want you!” He shouted, eyes shot opened and eager.

“Oh?” She grinned, “You want me, too?”

“W-what?” he followed her slim fingers trace her lips and go down her chin to her neck where the ice cream rested. “Oh.”

“Not going to lick me clean?”

He reacted quickly to her question, attaching his lips to her neck and licked the white substances off of her. The board wipe of his tongue got everything the first time, but he went back to nibble at the junction of her neck where her artery pulsed under the tender skin. He could claim her right now. Mark her and leave a visible sign that screamed she was taken.

She was his.

“What large teeth you have,” she teased, her long lashes fluttering over his temple as she rained kisses on him.

His fangs have elongated, ready to pierce the skin. “Marinette,” he needed to calm down. He can’t mark her without telling her what the mark meant.

“What? You’re not going to claim me?” She shocked him, an innocent smile tugging her lips. She moved her hair out of the way and tugged on the neckline of her blouse, the modest plum of her breasts peeking at the neat trim of her peter pan collar. “Because I want you to.”

He whined, “It-it’s not that. 

“Oh? Then, do you want more milk?” Marinette swiped some of the melting ice cream on her lips. “You haven’t kissed me, you know.”

Well, he had to first that doesn’t he?

Adrien pulled her down and kissed her, licking her lips he tasted the sweet vanilla. His thumb tugged on the corner of her lips and she opened up for the sweep of his tongue slipping into her mouth, meeting her tongue. He pulled and demanded everything he could from her. Demanded her attention to be solely on him as he tugged her on his lap.

Pulling away, he tried to control his breathing as well as his thoughts. They can’t do this here in public. What would his father say? Worse. What would her parents say? He had to impress them, too, and claiming your future in-laws’ daughter in public was not the way to do it. 

“What’s wrong? You don’t want any more of the milkshake?”

“N-no,” his tongue was thick but she was cool like mints.

“Hm, not even milk from here, Chaton?” She grabbed his right and directed them to her breast and his imagination flourished and trembled. Under her guidance, he squeezed them and felt her nipples stiffen. He thought about his tongue on her, swiping over her nipple that must be the same dusty rose of her lips.

“M-Mari.”

“No?” She guided his other hand to the radiating heat between her thighs, gasping as his fingers instinctually pushed against there. Her scent steamed from there, seducing him so easily. “Then, maybe here?”

“Yes,” he growled when he felt ice on the back of his neck and rocked out of his seat. Looking around, he was shocked to see Marinette in her seat again with a pleased grin on her face and her fingers wiggling at him.

“Finally! You blanked out on me for a minute. Where did you go?”

“W-what?”

“I asked if you were alright and you kind of…glazed over.” She explained, sipping on her milkshake innocently.

“Oh,” he sat down, disappointed and cold for other reasons.

“So? What were you thinking?” 

“Oh, work stuff.” 

“Really? Because from the look on your face, I would have thought you were thinking about something pleasant.”

“Look on my face?”

“Yeah, you had a…’cat that got the cream’ look.”

Adrien groaned, “I wish.”


	12. Romeo

“I hate her so much.”

“Don’t you think you’re being too harsh?” Alya and Marinette sat in the park, both watching the visiting werefox from Italy talking to members of Alya’s pack.

“I’m not,” Alya growled, “This is the girl that tried to take my role as Trixx’s Chosen. She tried to ruin my reputation and start rumors about me, Mari.”

Marinette sighed and nodded understandingly. If she were in Alya’s shoes, she would probably feel the same way. “No, you’re right. I understand.”

Alya scoffed at Lila’s rehearsed laugh and smile. “Why is she even here? Just…go away.” Alya willed Lila to vanish, but the orange yolk werefox remained.

“Alya, you’re Trixx’s Chosen. Why do you feel threatened by her?”

Alya bit her bottom lip, suddenly shy and that caught Marinette’s attention. “I caught her flirting with Nino.”

“I see.”

“And I don’t know where I stand with him yet." She confessed. “I never had the opportunity to smell him because of his stupid spell and I don’t know if he is….”

“Your mate?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you want him to be?”

Alya smiled and gave a small nod. “I do…which is why I don’t like her.” Alya fell back in her complaints and Marinette sighed and went along with it. Alya didn’t stop until Adrien’s figure emerged from the park’s entrance, his entire persona excited at seeing Marinette.

Adrien took quick strides towards her when Lila captured his hand. “Adrien!” She smiled coyly, “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I’m meeting my friends,” he gestured to Alya and Marinette, and he suddenly noted a bitter tone in Marinette’s scent. Was she okay?

“Your friends?” She peered over his shoulder and saw Alya and Marinette sitting at a picnic table. She recognized Alya immediately, already confronting her a few times in the past. “I know Alya, but why don’t you introduce me to the…smaller one.”

“Oh, um, sure?” He slipped his hand from her but she latched onto his elbow.

“Why is he bring her here?” Alya muttered, not hiding her distaste. Marinette blinked, feeling annoyed all of the sudden but she buried that as deep as she could as Adrien and Lila strolled up.

“H-hey,” he stared at Marinette in concern. “Um, I want to introduce you to Lila. She’s a new transfer to my school.”

“We’ve already met,” Alya snarled.

“Nice to meet you,” Marinette smiled through the weird discomfort she had. “I’m Marinette.”

“A fae.” Lila stated, “Oh, sorry. I’m a werefox. I can smell it.”

“Yes…a fae.” Marinette confirmed, not knowing how to answer.

“Did you meet today?” Alya asked, earning her a glare from Adrien. Hey, if she was going to suffer so was he. That was friendship, wasn’t it?

Lila smiled up at Adrien, batting her lashes and desperately wanted to be coated in his scent. The fae, she noticed, had Adrien’s scent on her. But it was so light; it could only indicate friendship. She wanted to be more than friends with him. “Oh, no. We met last week. We saw each other through an aquarium in the library. Just like that Romeo and Juliet movie.”

“W-wait,” Adrien sputtered but Lila pressed on.

“I then came over and introduced myself and we have rarely been separated since.”

“I see,” Marinette’s frown small and stoic.

“Marinette,” Adrien floundered for words but when he found none, Lila continued. 

“Have you two watched that new documentary about Jagged Stone?” Lila tightened her hold on Adrien.

The discomfort in Marinette amplified and she felt a surge of fire in her. “No,” she punctuated. “I haven’t gotten the chance.”

“Neither have I,” Alya muttered.

“Adrien was talking about it all day in school and is going to take me tonight to see it.”

Adrien was trying to peel himself away from Lila politely but stopped dead in his track. He panicked as he looked at Marinette, seeing a smile but her scent was lashing wildly. While he does not know why she was upset, he knew he did not want her to get the idea that he was interested in anyone but her.

There has to be no misunderstanding.

The issue now was how was he going to explain to Marinette, in front of Lila, that he talked about the Jagged Stone documentary all day because he wanted to ask her on a date? Shit.

“Should we get going, Romeo?” Lila pulled him. “I want to show him the movie poster I helped create for the documentary.”

Alya’s irritated façade change to revulsion as she glanced to Marinette, seeing the Fae’s struggle to keep calm. It was a secret between the two of them, but Marinette was the one who created Jagged Stone’s poster after he contacted her for a commission for a new coat. The topic of the poster design came up and he commissioned her for that, too. Her name was even on the poster!

“Yeah, get going, Romeo.” Alya scowled, throwing her arm around Marinette. “ Hero and I will stay here.”

“No.” He was being pulled away but he reached out to Marinette. “Wait. Marinette.”

Thunder cracked to the left of them.

Marinette was the first to stand, her wings unfolded from her back as the akuma curled the corner of the street. She flew up as Alya morphed into a large fox with multiple tails. Alya took the ground, racing towards the akuma and thrusting it into a passing bus.

Adrien wanted to follow, but Lila clung to his arm. “I’m scared!” She cried out, “Please stay with me.”

Adrien cursed, torn between protecting civilians and helping Marinette and Alya defeat the akuma. Then, he noticed something. Lila was not scared. Her scent was eager and Adrien was about to rip his grasp away when she immediately let go of him as an arrow shot down between them. 

“Sorry!” Marinette yelled from above, guilt emerged from her scent. Shame filled her, too. She was shocked from her action. Shocked at the wave of anger that bubbled in her and simply erupted until she lost control and the arrow she aimed at the akuma change target.

A high-pitched bark from below caught her attention and she was seconds too late to avoid the strike of lightening that stabbed her shoulder. It was bleeding, the blood poured down her arm but she was filled with adrenaline. Tikki’s harsh words of remaining calm, do not allow panic to stir her actions were silent. Marinette shot three arrows in the akuma’s back.

Not feeling anything.

A large black mass attacked the akuma, tackling it down as the Alya pounced on the akuma’s back and ended its life. A shot of energy impaled the akuma’s chest, and it evaporated into purified orbs.

Marinette landed on the ground, only feeling warmth creep down her arm. Before she could ask if the Weres were okay, Lila’s voice pierced between them. “Adrien! Are you okay?”

Marinette looked at Lila and Adrien, clenching her mouth shut and then inhaled and exhaled. “I need to report this to the Court. Sorry, Beatrice,” Marinette looked at Alya, “I have to end our Sunday short.” She waved her good hand in front of her, creating a small portal for one.

Adrien quickly morphed to his human form, his pants barely clinging onto his hips. “Mariette! Wait.”

“See you around, Romeo,” She smiled painfully at him and walked through the portal. It shut in front of his face.

“I know I shouldn’t be mad,” Alya’s voice rose, slightly raspy as she held the spare robe she kept in her backpack around her. “But I am. Catch you later Montague. Capulet.” She turned and walked away, her backpack in hand.

Adrien knew he did something wrong, but he wasn’t entirely sure what he did and wasn’t interested in finding out until he knew Marinette was fine. He smelt the blood before he saw it, and when he did see her wound, he felt and saw red. After declining Lila as politely as he could through his short and curt response, he raced to contact Marinette.

Ten minutes passed and now he was desperate. He was calling Tikki’s office every few seconds because Marinette won’t answer his call or text, and the Public Portal was closed today due to wave interference. Then, he heard the sound of the phone being picked up and demanded Marinette’s whereabouts.

“No need to shout, Adrien,” Tikki said on the other end.

“I know but Marinette-”

“Is fine,” Tikki sighed. “Reckless but fine.”

“She’s fine?” He exhaled shakily.

“Yes, she’s fine.”

“Where…where is she?”

“Here with me.”

Adrien jolted, “Can I speak with her?!”

“Nope,” Tikki looked over her shoulder to Marinette.

“Why?!”

“She’s asleep. The witch doctor had to spell her to get her to settle.”

“How bad is it?”

“Bad enough that she can’t patrol with you for a month or so. She also can’t leave the Realm.” The normally warm tone she had was gone. “What happened?”

“She…got distracted.”

“Distracted?” Tikki exclaimed. “Marinette got distracted? She never gets distracted during a battle.”

“I know. But she was off after meeting Lila.”

“Lila? Trixx’s candidate?”

“Yes. She was there and…I don’t think they got along well.”

“Is she close to you?”

“Marinette?”

“No. Lila.”

“No? We just met last week.” He heard Tikki hum and it unsettled him. “When she wakes up…can you have her call me?”

“Of course.”

“And can I visit her?”

“Once the portal opens and if Marinette allows it, then yes.” The witch doctor called for Tikki, her voice could be heard through the call. “Sorry, Adrien. I have to go.”

“No, I understand. Thank you.” They hung up and Adrien finally sat down, overcome with relief. 

“All good there, cub?” Plagg looked up for the watch he as fiddling with.

“Almost.” Adrien looked over to his Elder, “What did I do wrong?”

“You haven’t claimed her.”

Adrien blushed and threw a glare at him, “That’s not what I meant.”

“I know what you meant.” Plagg set the watch down on his mahogany table, leaning back in his plush office chair. “You haven’t claim or confessed to her, which confuses her since she’s gaining traits of heightened smell and sound. As your mate, she is now getting that same instinct…at a lesser degree, of course.” He explained even though Adrien was already aware of the common pattern of non-Were mates attaining Were traits after a period of time. The community called it Bonding. “We’re not patient creatures. We claim at sight. You did not do that.”

“I never got the chance.”

“We don’t wait for chances. We make them.” Plagg barked. “She, deep inside, knows you are her mate but you need to confirm it. If not, she will continue to get jealous and distracted and hurt until she decides you’re not worth it.” Plagg stopped and sighed. He got up and patted Adrien’s head. “I don’t mean this to be a lecture because it’s not. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Hurt?”

“There are occurrences where mates move on. Either they give up, find someone else, or move away. Our mates are brought to us by fate or destiny or whatever you want to call it, but they don’t stay unless we ask them to.”

~o~o~o~o~

“Do you want to talk about it?” 

“Not really.”

“Do you want to tell me what happened, then?” Tikki waited but when Marinette did not answer, she snatched the sketchbook away. On the pages were sketches of a blonde boy and she could only assume who it was. “Marinette.”

“I got distracted, okay.” Marinette settled back in her bed, she twirled her pen to distract the throbbing pain in her left shoulder, there was a faint Lichtenberg branching scar forming there already, curling over her shoulder shyly. She heard Tikki’s sigh and the coiling in her finally ripped. “I don’t know what to do. I think about him constantly. Wondering how he’s feeling if he’s eating or sleeping well. I wonder if he had a good day. I make things for him and send them – and always forget to sign them, but that more me being careless.” She muttered, staring out the window.

“You like him.” Tikki brushed aside a lock of hair from Marinette’s face. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Yes, there is. I never thought much of my feelings for him beyond a crush but today…I got jealous.”

“Jealous?”

“Ugly jealous,” Marinette groaned. “I was awful, Tikki. Some girl was clinging to him, sprouting lies to impress him, and I just wanted to rip her hands off of him. 

“But you didn’t.”

“No, I basically did something worse.”

“Oh, dear.”

“During the akuma attack, she was holding on to him and I shot an arrow at them – between them.” Marinette paused, “I lost control. I let my jealousy get the better of me and I can’t let that happen. I’m the Fae Chosen, a Lead Guard, and that…scared me. I shouldn’t be feeling _this_ for him, Tikki and I shouldn’t allow those feelings to control me. I’m...I’m not his mate or even his causal girlfriend until he finds his mate. I’m nothing more than a friend to him – a co-worker. And it hurts,” she exclaimed. “I never thought it would hurt this bad.”

Tikki giggled sympathetically and nodded, “People only like to talk about the beauty of love, never the ugly.”

“Love?” Marinette bit her lip, holding back the raw hiccups that wanted to escape her throat. “I can’t be.”

“Mari.” 

“I can’t, Tikki. I’m not…he never mentioned it or said anything about it. So, I can’t. I shouldn’t, and I can’t be around him if it just leaves me feeling like…this.”

“Marinette.”

“It hurts,” Marinette smiled, pressing her hand to her chest to ease the ache, “Every time I see him I think of everything that could be between us, and when I leave him. It’s a splash of reality that it will never be. I want it…so badly but I can’t have him. He’s not mine and I can’t be his Juliet.”

“Marinette,” Tikki settled next to Marinette and pulled the young Chosen in her arms. Hurting alongside her, guilt weighing her shoulders because she knew how to solve this. She could fix this. “Can I tell you something?”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t need to worry about not being his Juliet.”

Marinette snorted, mopping her tears away. “I don’t?”

“Nope. Because you see, he isn’t that much of a Romeo either.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you for reading!
> 
> If you want to read a LOT more, like an annoyingly lot more, please feel free to read my fic, Lune D'Or. c:


	13. Game Night

Chatter filled the stadium after the sirens blew, indicating the start of halftime. Marinette leaned back in her seat, sighing and questioning why she was here. More than two weeks had passed since that embarrassing jealousy incident she had, and as much as she tried to grow apart from Adrien, here she was. Watching him with a frown as he shook his head and returned to the sidelines. Blood was flowing from his left shoulder.

“Relax,” Nino nudged her, “This is part of their culture.”

“I know. I just didn’t realize it gets this….”

“Violent?”

“Yeah,” Marinette sighed.

“Women. So sensitive.”

Marinette scoffed lightly, “You almost disrupted Alya’s game when she broke her leg.”

“She broke her leg and they still went after her!”

“Men. So sensitive.” Marinette laughed. “Well, at least they only do this every other year.”

“Yeah…I don’t think I can stomach the sight of Alya being thrown across a field during a battle and much less for fun.”

“At least she won her match,” Marinette pulled her legs up to her chest. “Were culture is so aggressive.”

“What do you expect? They’re instinctually creatures. Literally, they are more animals than human.”

Marinette pursed her lips, watching Adrien closely as she thought over Nino’s sentence. They were instinctually creatures. “Do you think he’s badly hurt?”

“He just got a gash on his shoulder. Alya the one who broke her leg, and don’t worry. You know they heal crazy fast but you can always kiss it better,” he snickered.

“Sure, I’m positive Alya won’t mind,” she winked, laughing at his frown.

“If anyone is kissing Alya, it’s me.” Nino huffed, “I still can’t believe she told me to go back to my seat.”

“Well, it’s kind of awkward if you’ve stayed.”

“How is it awkward?”

“You were waiting for her in the locker room sobbing.”

“I wasn’t sobbing!” Nino rubbed the back of his head, “I was crying lightly.”

She exhaled a laugh and looked back to the field. The pain in her shoulder was only slight now. Thankfully, she had a quick recovery after all the medicine the Witch Doctor forced her to ingest, despite how awful they tasted. She had a scar, a shade or so lighter than her skin, on her shoulder. A branching figure she thought was interesting in shape.

The night would have been cool if it wasn’t for the stadium lights and the crowd of people. She would have never come if it wasn’t for Adrien invitation and Alya’s encouragement. Also, due to the speed of her healing, Tikki and the Royal Court lifted her ban on missions and Realm crossing late last night 

Still, she was trying to avoid him.

Emphasize on the trying.

She used her injury and schedule as a Chosen active in politics as an excuse until this morning. He called her, asking if she could come to support him. There was something in the manner he asked and his tone that made her agree right away.

Now, here she was.

They were close to the bright green field. She could almost smell the raw scent of sweat, blood, and other questionable bodily fluids. The Were Games, or The Hunt, as she heard a few call it, was a biennial event where Weres from all over the world participated in a one-day event of games for good sportsmanship. Although, she saw nothing fun with Adrien fighting others in full Were form.

For a moment, she thought Alya’s participation in Prey would have been civil since they were in their animal form, but it was just as vicious. She saw a wererabbit almost bite off a werecat’s tail, and a werewolf almost ate a werefox. Luckily, the gopher they were hunting was just a gopher that did not get eaten at the end.

Nino was on the edge of his seat the whole time wearing Alya’s team jersey. While she knew it was to show his support for her, she was amused at how awful he looked in an autumn orange jersey. It wasn’t until Alya got hurt that she realized how dangerous these games were. Nino almost cast a barrier over fox until a security guard stopped him.

She had to confiscate his wand until the end of the game.

Adrien was going to participate in his own game of Prey with a heavier weight class than Alya after the break, and the anticipation already made her bite her nails. “I wish he didn’t ask me to come. 

“Why’s that?”

“I’m worried!” Marinette expressed, “I thought this was going to be more like the Olympics.”

“Yeah…but he wants you here and wants to see you after the last time.” Not needing to expand on the ‘last time’. Nino leaned back in his seat, “He misses you, and your support means a lot to him.”

Marinette hummed, not forgetting the thrilled look he had when she showed up late wearing his pack’s black jersey with “Noir” written in neon green. His grin was grand and smug. He asked her to stay to the end, saying he wanted to tell her something only if he won all his matches. Alya’s squeal scared her but she agreed, cautiously. Not knowing what she was getting into but the eagerness he had was infectious.

“Wait, so it’s actually happening?” A deep feminine voice spoke from behind them. Nino glanced over his shoulder, seeing two young women around their age settling back in their seats with popcorn and instantly recognized them. The one who spoke was Juleka, her long black hair with purple tips brushed past her elbows. 

“Yes, I saw it this morning in the news,” the shorter one, Rose, nodded. “I can’t believe it. I never actually thought the two of them would actually be…together.”

“It’s rude to ease drop,” Marinette whispered to Nino.

“I’m curious,” he whispered back with a grin.

“Who would have thought they would actually get engaged.”

“It said they’re going to have a late summer wedding.”

“I’m positive Kagami is excited to be Mrs. Adrien Agreste.”

Marinette felt a painfully sharp cold stab of pain.

Nino glanced at her in concern and quickly turned around. “Hey, Rose! Jeleka! It’s been a while, huh?”

“Nino,” Rose beamed at him. “What are you doing here?” 

“Oh, just hanging out with Marinette and supporting some friends. How are you two? How's Luka?”

Juleka reached out to touch Marinette's shoulder, “It’s so nice to see you two. We're well and so is Luka. He's been asking about you lately, Marinette.”

“Has he?” Marinettmumbleded, smiling slightly. 

“I don’t mean to be bother, but I’m wondering what gossip column you read that in?”

“Oh,” Rose looked to Juleka, “I actually saw the head of the Tsurugi household, Kagami’s father, announce it right before the game in a press conference for the upcoming fencing tournament.”

“It was on the news?”

“Yeah,” Juleka showed Nino her phone and played the news clip. Marinette resisted the urge to grab the phone, throw it in the air and destroy it with an energy beam. Instead, she sat rigidly and heard the Monsieur Tsurugi make the announcement.

At the end of August, Kagami and Adrien will be wedded.

“Hm, that’s strange, don’t you think, Marinette? He never mentioned that to us before.”

“Oh, you two know Adrien?” Rose asked.

“Yeah, we’re friends. Right, Marinette?”

“Yeah,” Marinette plastered a smile on her face. “But, who knows. We only see Adrien once every month or so. It must have slipped his mind.”

“You see Adrien every moth or so, I see my man-candy almost twice week when I visit Alya.”

“Then you would know,” Marinette stopped herself from snarling.

The alarm went off and the games resumed. From the corner of her eyes she saw Nino texting frantically and could only assume it was to Alya. The sick coiling she felt in her stomach was something that was happening frequently, and she knew what it was.

Jealousy.

She was jealous and bitter, wanting to be as close if not, closer, to Adrien as Nino was to Alya. Wanting to be the one marrying him.

Her chest hurt.

Actually, everything hurt.

She doesn’t want to feel this way.

She met Adrien’s gaze and she saw the predatory grin he shot her. He was confident. Was this what he was going to tell her if he won the game? That he found his mate and wanted her to be friends with the fencing protégée who had a pristine family linage that was said to be descended from a demi-god? To pretend to be happy for him when all of her dreams and fantasies were being lit on fire and left to rot?

She felt sick. The fire scorched her. Anger bubbled in her, hatred towards Kagami for being someone she wasn’t. Damnit. What was she going to do? What was she going to say?

She couldn’t lie to him. He’ll catch it in her scent. She should be happy. Adrien found his mate and she should congratulate him. A feat she was positive she could do except she wasn’t sure if she could say it without sobbing.

She can’t feel this way anymore. 

The volume around her grew louder suddenly, the rumble of the stadium surprised her but she shot up from her seat, witnessing as Adrien caught the gopher and declared the winner of the game. The excitement momentarily got to her and she jumped in joy, waving at him as he shook the dirt off his body. A robe was thrown on top of him and he shifted, covering his nakedness skillfully.

Her smile dropped when he turned directly at her, holding his medal.

He won all of his games.

“Come on, Marinette.” Nino suddenly pulled her towards the stairs, “We got to meet Alya and Adrien.”

There was no physical energy in her that she could use to stop herself from being pulled. She knew she could do this. Take the rejection but not now. Not when she recently pinpointed what she was feeling and why.

“Nino.”

The wizard stopped, unfamiliar with the soft voice she produced. He looked up at her from a few steps below. Not even the fake cat ears she wore brought amusement to him anymore. “What’s wrong?”

“I…I’m not ready,” she smiled. 

Her hand slipped form his and he tried to say something to her, but the words only formed and did not escape. After a moment, people passing them by in both directions, he nodded. “Okay,” he pulled his phone from his pocket and shot Alya a quick message. “Come on, then. Let’s get you back to the Realm.”

“No, it’s fine. I can get there myself. You should stay for Alya.”

“I already texted her saying that I’m going to take you home and I’ll come back as soon as I can…unless you want to talk?”

“No,” she answered honestly, not even knowing what she wanted to say. “Only if you’re sure.”

“I wouldn’t be offering if I wasn’t. Also, Alya will bite my ass off if I let you go home all by yourself when you’re looking like a sodden kitten.” Her and Adrien, Nino wanted to added.

Marinette gave a lack-lustered chuckle, walking up the stairs with Nino. They said nothing the whole way back. At one moment when they crossed the Realm he was engaged in a series of back and forth texting with whom she assumed, once again, was Alya.

“Are you sure you don’t want to head back?”

“Huh? No! It’s fine. It’s not Alya,” Nino pulled his hat off. Nervous thinking about the expression Adrien was going to give him once he was back in the Common Lands. He already got twenty calls from the werecat crying about betrayal and demanding that he bring Marinette back to the Common Lands.

“I hoped,” Marinette said quietly a block away from her apartment, “since I discovered who he was, I hoped that I was….” She couldn’t finish the sentence, drowning in sorrow, burning from jealousy, and choking on disappointment.

She thought she was better than this.

Nino was screaming in his mind. He wanted to tell Marinette that she didn’t need to hope sine it was true. It was fact. He sat across Adrien so many times and the recurring topic the werecat returned to was her. But, it was not his place to tell her. Finding a mate was a sacred thing in the Were community, one where Weres were the only ones that can declare their mate. It was tradition and law.

“Thank you,” she brought him back from his inner battle. They were at her apartment building. He could not say or do a single thing as she turned and walked into her building, her shoulders dropped in rejection. 

Once she was in her building, not even waiting for the door to shut behind her, Nino pulled his phone out and called Adrien.

“Nino! Where have you taken my mate!?” Adrien snarled, his words clear and curt despite the chatter in the background.

“I took her home,” Nino raked his hand through his hair and made his way back to the portal station.

“What!? Why would you do that!? You knew I was going to confess to her.” Disbelief inked his tone, “Damnit, Nino.”

“Did you know there’s a rumor about you going around?”

“A rumor? What does that have to do with anything?”

“Well, since it’s about your engagement and upcoming wedding at the end of summer with the fencing protégée, it kind of does.”

There was silence and then a brisk series of profanity.

“So, it’s true?”

“It’s not true,” Adrien shot back. “Fuck, and she heard about it?”

“Language,” Nino chastised, mimicking Marinette who would gasp in shock whenever she heard someone curse, “And, yeah, during the game. She wanted to go home afterwards so I took her.”

“Home?” Adrien sounded hopeful, “Okay I can make it there in ten minutes and talk to her and –”

“Realm home,” Nino clarified.

More silence.

“Where are you now?”

“Me? I’m about to cross over to the Common Lands.”

“Through a portal?”

“Yes?”

“Which one?”

“W-what? Why?”

“Because you’re going to take me to Marinette’s house so I can clear this up. Please, Nino, you have to help me. I can’t live like this anymore. I can’t lose her.”

Nino stopped in front of the portal, only taking a moment to debate the consequence but realized the reward will be worth it for Adrien and Marinette. “Okay.”

Half an hour has passed and Nino led a panicked Adrien and a concerned Alya to Marinette’s apartment complex. Before Nino could tell Adrien which floor Marinette lived in, both he and Alya stated it with the use of their nose.

“What are you going to say?” Alya asked, nursing her cheek with a chill pack.

“The truth,” Adrien said. “I waited too long for the right moment when it doesn’t matter. Any moment telling her is the right moment.”

“Go get her, tiger.” Nino pushed Adrien towards the entrance, “Apartment Seven L.”

Adrien hurried to the entrance, feeling more nervous standing outside her home than he did in the middle of the field. This was going to be it. Tonight, he was going to tell her she was his mate. Nothing, not even the pain spiking across his body was going to stop him.

He pressed the button to her apartment and waited. After a moment of silence, he tried again but there as no answer. He looked over to Alya and Nino.

“Maybe she’s sleeping?” Nino offered.

“Let’s wake her up then,” Alya grumbled and called Marinette but it went straight to voicemail twice. “She’s not picking up.” Alya tapped her lips and then dialed Tikki’s phone number. Again, silence.

“Do you think something happened?” Nino looked between them and saw t Adrien’s complexion drain of color.

“Don’t think so negatively yet,” Alya scowled, trying Tikki’s office and she cheered when she got an answer. “Yes! Hello! Tikki? It’s Alya. I’m wondering if Marinette is with you?” Alya felt Adrien’s heavy gaze on her, waiting to hear Tikki speak.

“She was,” Tikki sighed.

“Was?”

“She accepted a three-month mission into the Tear. She crossed over five minutes ago.”

“W-what?” Alya looked at Adrien, at his shocked expression. “Is she crazy!? The Tear is filled with akumas!”

“We know…she knows.”

“And she accepted it? Still?!”

“Alya.”

“Why did you let her!?”

“Alya,” Tikki struggled to remain neutral. She already snapped twice at the Queen this past week fighting for her to revoke her offer to Marinette. But the Queen, with her skin made of delicate rusting gold, denied Tikki all of her movements of withdrawal. Marinette was of age and a Guard. She was able to make her own decision without the approval of Tikki. “The Queen asked her to take the mission last week when she felt better and since she got the ‘okay’ yesterday to take missions again, she took it. I had no say and it was her decision.” 

“Is…is there a way to communicate with her? I have something urgent to tell her.”

“The only way to communicate with her is through a Carrier Fleur.”

“Those take a month to reach them,” Alya stressed, “Almost two.”

“This is all I have to offer.”

Alya turned to Adrien; struggling to speak to him, to the woman on the other end. “I’m sorry,” she said a few seconds later. “Thank you.” Her arm was lead, dropping to her side. “Adrien.”

Adrien morphed to a large cat and ran towards the portal, ignoring Alya’s and Nino’s shouts as he raced to Plagg. He had to go to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The angst continues! ;A;


	14. Sin

With a huff, she leaned up to tug the curtains wider, allowing more light to filter in her living room. Marinette sighed and looked back to the dress she was detailing. Tiny bursts of embroiled flowers will be the end of her but she loved how it looked on the pale pink fabric that she decided she could die early. She hoped she finished the dress prior so she can be buried in it at least.

Pulling her hair to the side, she kept on working. Wiggling her toes as she hummed with the soft tunes coming from the neighbor’s radio. The light from her phone peeked from the corner of her eye, shining as it silently indicated she got a message. She glanced over to see who it was and stabbed her needle in her thumb. She cried out both from the sharp jab and from the message. She stuck her thumb in her mouth gingerly and gulped.

Adrien messaged her.

She looked around her apartment, hoping Alya would pop out and read the text for her but Alya wasn’t here. She was on a date with Nino in the Common Lands. She pushed her phone away slightly before grabbing it.

“Are you busy?” the message read.

Was she?

She was embroiling her dress but that doesn’t really consider being busy, did it? Busy would be attending meetings with Tikki or writing up paperwork and answering emails regarding laws and agendas.

So, no, she wasn’t really busy. Technically.

But did she want him to know that?

Would he think she was being lazy if she said no?

“Not really,” she messaged back.

Vague but true.

“'Can I come up?' Up?” Marinette repeated, blinking at her phone and realizing what he meant. He was outside. He wanted to come up to her apartment where she was…alone. What did that mean? Why was he here? Does she want him to come upstairs? Well, yes she did.

Wait.

Marinette gave a small yelp and threw her phone to the other side of the room. No, she should not want that. Not after what she had been through. Mon Dieu, he was going to tell her Kagami was his mate. Crush her fantasies until they were nothing but tiny crumbles of dust forgotten in the crevices of the upper shelve of a kitchen pantry.

She crawled to her window and peered down to the street and whimpered. He stood there with his carefully groomed golden hair, and she desperately wondered how his undercut would feel. She slid down the wall, panicked before rushing back to her phone to answer him. “I’m not home,” she messaged him back with a sad emoji.

“Are you sure? Because I can smell you,” he answered back with a smirking emoji.

“Pods and petals,” she groaned and threw herself on her couch. How could she forget about that monstrous aspect of him? What now? “Guess I’ll let the stray in,” she mumbled, grabbing her phone again and messaging him, “Sorry! I meant to type 'ready'. I’ll ring you in but give me two minutes to tidy up.”

Marinette sighed and looked around her tiny apartment and went to work. Luckily, she wasn’t a messy person. She had jackets and scarves thrown on an armchair, which she stuffed in her entryway closet. The jar of rose lemonade sat on the counter and was quickly placed in the fridge again. Pillows were corrected and the throw blanket folded when he knocked on her door.

Her surprised squeal was loud enough for him to hear and he chuckled loudly, making her cheeks redder. “I-I’ll be there in a second!” She called out, placing her dress on a hanger with the working thread tuck in the fabric of the dress. She rushed to the front door, her heart was pounding and she knew he could hear it. She could not help but fix her skirt and hair before she opened her door wide.

“Hello Marinette,” Adrien smiled and her knees quivered.

“H-Hi,” she answered back and moved to the side quickly, “Please, come in.”

“Your apartment,” he started, looking over the cream and pinks of her décor, “is quite lovely.” He looked over a few of her photo frames, smiling at a family portrait of her's when she was a child.

“Thank you.”

“You must be wondering why I’m here,” he turned to her, taking his black jacket off and she tried to focus on his face instead of the jacket trailing down his arms. Tried.

“A little bit curious. Strays don’t come by until dinner.” The muscles on his arm flexed, the taunt muscles she spied in the past were in plain sight and she had no distractions from akumas or Nino to keep her mind focus and professional.

“Oh, you feed strays?”

“I feed 'what'?" She ripped her gaze back to his eyes instead of his arms. Oh no, he was smirking at her. "Oh, um, Yes,” she admitted, dying because he caught her staring at his arms like a starving alley cat, which she was not. He was the alley cat. She needed a distraction. “So why are you here?!”

“I have something important to tell you.”

It was happening.

“Oh?”

“I’ve been trying to tell you this for a long time. Marinette-”

“I know!” She shouted, wanting to save herself the pain of having to hear his declaration of love for Kagami.

“You do?”

Please, for all that was holy and pure, do not voice that assumption, Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

“You’re here to,” she trembled, eyes swelling before she could even start, “invite me to your wedding since you’re m-marrying…K-Kagami.”

Her mind screamed, wondering why she did not listen to herself because now she was going to have her heart broken in the sanctuary of her home, and she will have to move out because the man of her dreams was going to taint her home in terrible memories and painful admission and he was kissing her.

Marinette stepped back, surprised at his soft lips on her but before she could say anything he was on her again. His lips hot as he cradled her face in his hands. He backed her up against the sliver of wall between her two tall French windows, his mouth demanding and clever until she was panting and melting against him.

His arm wrapped around her waist, holding her up before pinning her against the wall fully, his body steading her. She let out an embarrassing whine when he moved his lips to her cheeks, jaws, and neck until he stopped above her artery. With his lips off of her, she could now register his hand under her shirt, resting on her naked waist and slowly moving up.

His thumb skimmed over her ribcage, swiping the skin underneath her breasts. She shivered, anticipating his every move, lounging in the effect he was having on her, panting and resisting the urge to pinch him when she felt his smirk on her neck. Then, his thumbs pressed against her hardened nipples and she mewed, leaning against his warm palms unashamed and silently thankful that she could not wear traditional bras due to the constant use of her wings. She grabbed on to him, arching when his thumb swept over the bud too quickly as he shoved her shirt up an over her head.

“Why would I marry anyone other than you?” He asked but the words barely registered to Marinette as he tugged her skirt down her legs.

“M-me?” she trembled, her stomach swirling in heat and the arousal she had flooded down to the hefty and needy cleft between her thighs. His lips were back on her neck, “But…I’m not your mate.”

“You are,” he growled and the proclamation nearly caused her to faint if it wasn’t for the toe-curling sharp bit on her neck.

She moaned, pushing away slightly at the intermingling sensation of pleasure and pain he was shooting in her. Still, she tilted her head to the side, giving him more room to curl around her and bite harder. The sounds she was making made her blush brightly but she welcomed the flush as long as he does not stop.

He was claiming her and she desperately wanted it, desperately wanted the lovely and unique scars on her shoulder and back left behind by his fangs that proudly proclaimed that he took her as his mate. She heard claiming was a romantic experience, but that was a load of honeycombs because she was swelling and tensing until she felt herself come undone.

“You’re intoxicating,” He groaned, pressing closer to her, the sharp smell of her desire filling him. “And you’re mine, my mate,” he said against her shoulder, “It always been you.”

Exhaustion pulled on her, her lids heavily but she was able to grace him with a smile. “Why…d-didn’t,” she was silenced by his kiss, tasted the cooper of her blood on his lips, mingling on his tongue. “A-Adrien….”

“I wanted to tell you after the Hunt, but after you heard the rumor and ran away – ”

“Sorry.”

“-I decided that I have to tell you. I can’t lose you, Marinette. I love you.” His hands hooked on her panties, “I want you. I want you to be covered in my scent. I want to knot you,” he groaned, and she imaged the base of his cock swelling inside of her. “I want everyone to know that I’m taken and you’re my mate.” His fingers pressed against her slouching heat, her essence already slipping down her thighs. “Marinette,” he grasped her chin to pull her in for a kiss when she felt cold.

Blinking, she looked around and only saw the grey material of her tent. Groaning in frustration she turned on her side. This was the fifth time this week she dreamed about Adrien, about him confessing to her she was his mate, his bite decorating her skin.

It’s been a month and she thought about him constantly.

She tried to not think about him because when she does, she will get melancholy for a present that was never there. When she doesn’t think of him, she felt empty. She decided she couldn’t win against him and accepted it with exasperated tears that he was not leaving her anytime soon. Sighing, she sat up and pulled on her shoes. She was already wearing her uniform; never actually changing into anything else besides her uniform due to the constant danger she and her team were in inside the Tear. Her hair, heavy and dirty, was tied in two tails. She was sure she smelled and water was too sparse to use to wash.

There was rustling outside. Crawling out of her tent, she stood up and surveyed the clearing they set up camp in before meeting the stoic gaze of her second-in-command.

“Dreaming about me?” Felix asked with a small but pleased smile. His blond hair sleek and combed to the left, always immaculate despite the humidity they were in. Felix, like Adrien, was a werecat, meaning he could smell her and smell her arousal and it burned her in embarrassment.

She bit back her blush, “I’m going to patrol the border.” Refusing to answer his question and falling for another of his trick, she set off wishing she listened to her mother about getting attached to stray cats.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :3c
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> If you haven't already, please check out my super long - why is it so long??? - fic, "Lune D'Or".
> 
> I'll update, hopefully, in a week!


	15. Copy Cat

“How’s the infection.”

“Don’t change the topic.”

“I’m not,” Felix sighed, “I truly am concerned about your infection.”

“Well,…it’s still infected if that’s what you’re asking.” The butterfly marked she received last week burned and she could see the black poison coursing through her veins slowly when she exerted herself, spreading from the back of her shoulder to her chest. When she first received it, the marking diminished after a night of rest, which was why she didn’t think it was a high concern until the following battle when it inched over her shoulder.

“Marinette.”

“Honestly, you’re not making sense,” Marinette looked behind her to the blonde who looked extremely similar to Adrien.

“What part is not making sense,” Felix asked.

“The whole ‘I’m from a different dimension’ part.”

“It is a difficult concept to swallow.”

“Hm,” Marinette reached forward to push herself up the cliff, frowning as Felix gracefully goes far ahead of her. She glared at the rock in front of her and decided she was not made for climbing. She spread her wings and flew to the top, not caring if she lost the bet to Felix. “How big is this place?”

“Vast,” Felix pulled himself over the edge smoothly, dusting his hand off before fixing his hair. “When we get back to the Realm, I suggest asking Tikki to use an extraction spell if we’re not too late.”

“Too late? Afraid I’ll die before then, Fancy Cat?”

“Immensely.” He answered honestly and it made her paused. “But, if you do not exert yourself, we can probably make it in time to fight the infection naturally, which is why I am afraid. You do not know how to relax.”

“I can relax.” She obviously did not convince him since he lifted a sleek eyebrow, perfectly groomed somehow despite being in the Tear for two months – she assumed it was the cat tendency inside of him that kept him like that. “Sometimes,” she injected and went on, “Have you seen this before?”

“Yes, in my dimension there is a man there like there is here. He uses these tainted butterflies to infect us. In my realm, we get sick. Here, it seems, you get turned into an akuma. The extraction spell was what we used on me to get rid of it.”

“You got infected?”

“Yes.”

“So…how does it work? The spell I mean.”

“Well, you can’t do it yourself.” He said bluntly.

“Of course not,” she muttered, that would be too easy.

“It requires another person with earthy magical abilities to remove it but it only works during the first stages. Once it infects the person entirely, a more serious spell has to be used.” He explained, looking at her shoulder, the skin vibrating with the poison. “The person must press their hand on the source – the butterfly – while using the spell. They must visually imagine the mark being lifted from the person. It takes a lot of energy; so, it is not unusually for the magical being to transfer energy to the infected person through lip contact.”

“Makes sense,” Marinette said after a moment, already quite familiar with healing enchantments. “Extraction,” she said the spell’s name, “I’ve only read about it but never used it.”

“And hopefully you won’t ever need to.” Felix placed his hand on her back when they walked over loose gravel and she smiled.

Marinette looked over to Felix, examining him for a moment, “You’re really a copy-cat, aren’t you?”

Felix glowered at her and her coy smile, “I do not appreciate your puns.”

“Ah, really? The other you does.”

“Other me?”

“Adrien…,” Marinette smiled, “In my dimension your name is Adrien.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You share some of his habits. You also smell like him,” Marinette tapped her nose before she opened her palm, using magic to map out the rocky terrain.

“You can smell people?”

“Yes, but not like you. I…can only identify Adrien and you have his scent.”

Felix smiled, “I see. Do you ever wondered why?”

“I assumed I picked it up during all of our patrols together when we were younger.” She paused, “Hey, how long have you’ve been here?”

“Since we’ve met.”

“We met three months ago.”

“Yes, Master Fu was able to tell right away I was not from here and placed me in the Guards to find the akuma that took me here.”

“Do you think if you run into Adrien the universe will explode?” She snickered, and his serve expression caused a string of panic to shot down her back.

“No,” he answered after a moment, pleased at her embarrassed flush and glare.

“I’m assuming you’re trying to head back to your dimension.”

“I am. I have to fix a mistake and…apologize to someone.” He stopped following her.

“Mistake?”

“Yes. I made a selfish decision. I lied to my mate.” He was looking at her in a strange light. “I was fighting against her, against fate as the elder cats in my pack would say, I even used her to advance my career, realizing too late that I am in love with her. I need to apologize to her and be right by her.”

“Honesty will get you there,” she smiled.

“You…I miss her and you make me miss her even more.”

Marinette closed the map, blinking as she met his gaze. “I make you miss her?”

“You remind me of her…maybe you’re a copy-cat, too.”


	16. Akumatized Marinette

It has been three and a half months since Marinette commenced her three-month mission into the Tear. There has been no report on her whereabouts or her team. Daily, Adrien asked Tikki if she heard anything about the Fae Chosen and despite her status as the Fae Elder, representative of the Faes, and Countess of Dots, she was kept in the dark.

The Royal Court decided against reports, believing it would distract Marinette and her team during their mission. The first time he heard that his temper got the best of him and he demanded an audience with the Queen of the Royal City, and much to everyone’s surprised, he was granted his request. When he expressed his concern and success of the mission he was met with the icy glare of the Queen and her scowl, sneering at him for doubting her choice of sending Marinette and questioning the placement of her pawns.

His father was not happy with him when he was escorted to the Common Lands by the Royal guards.

Plagg was.

“Hey,” Alya’s soft voice caught his attention. He looked up from his textbook, perking his eyebrow at her frown. “You don’t look too hot…for once.”

“She’s late.”

“Who?”

“Marinette. She has been gone for three and a half months. She’s late.” He stated, “It’s starting to a take a toll me. I think I’m going grey from the stress.”

“Don’t think it,” Alya reached over and plucked a grey strand of hair from the top of his head. “You are.” She twitched a smile at his groan. “How about emotional?”

“I’m drained.”

“Physically?”

“Also drained.”

Alya huffed a chuckle, she has been in this somber mood for five days now but hasn’t told him why; even Trixx was concerned. “Have you heard from Nino recently?”

Oh.

“Um, not since Thursday. Why?”

“I…think he’s mad at me?”

“For what?”

“I honestly don’t know yet. We left on good terms last Friday after our date. He said he was going to call me later but…it’s been a week.”

Adrien sat up, concern etched on his face as he rubbed his chest. Lately, a pain would ache there out of nowhere. “He’s not answering your calls?”

“No, and when I went to his apartment yesterday, the front desk attendant told me Nino hasn’t been home in since…Friday afternoon.” Her voice cracked. “What if something happened to him?”

Before Adrien could reassure her, a sharp ring came from her phone. She jolted and tightened her hold on it, hoping it was Nino but instead scowled when she saw Trixx’s name on her screen. She ignored it and poked at her food again until Adrien’s phone rang as well.

“It’s Plagg.” He announced to Alya and answered the phone, “Hello?”

“Fable Hall. Now.” Plagg said curtly, “if the fox is with you, bring her, too.” He hanged up.

“You heard that?”

“Oops,” Alya glanced at her phone and shrugged her shoulders.

“Are you coming?”

“Yeah. Yeah,” she stood up and tossed her food in the trash. “Let’s go see what’s bothering the elderly besides today’s current fashion trends.”

They caught the metro and arrived to Fable Hall in less than ten minutes, speeding towards the building as they saw a mass of people crowding at the entrance. They briefly glanced at each other and pushed through the mob until they saw Wayzz waiting for them. He nodded his greetings and led them in.

“What’s good?” Alya asked.

“Where’s Plagg?” Adrien asked immediately afterward, he could not smell his Elder’s cheesy scent. He rubbed the same spot on his chest again, the ache intensified.

“In the Realm,” Wayzz answered. “There’s a Tear.”

“Bad?” Alya asked.

“Worst.” Wayzz, who has always been the calm Elder out of the bunch, was walking a frantic pace towards the Portal. They came to a round room dyed in a frothy blue, deep and profound, on one wall was a large ornate mirror with gold edging that became a portal to the Realm. “The Queen ordered the Elders, Guards, Chosens, and some of her elite Soliders to be on site incase Alpha Team fails.”

“Alpha team?” Alya probed.

They crossed over. Wayzz cast a spell that created a door in the Royal Court’s wall that took them to the town center. Royal guards spread apart to grant them access to the center. A large monitor made of water floated against the Royal Court’s wall, showing static.

Plagg stood in the middle with Tikki by his side, watching the Tear that appeared in the northern section of the center closely. Pollen was off to the side conversing with Master Fu. Plagg looked back to Adrien and the sorrowful look he had stabbed Adrien’s in the chest, twisting the pain he already had there harder.

“Plagg,” Adrien jogged forward and halted when Tikki turned to look at him, her expression hard with hints of distress behind it. “Marinette,” he said her name sharply, “Is this about Marinette? Is she okay? Tikki!?”

“Don’t raise your voice at an Elder, Cub,” Plagg growled, “much less Tikki.”

Tikki placed her hand on Plagg’s forearm and stepped forward, “I didn’t know.”

Adrien was afraid to ask, but he did. “Didn’t know what?”

A round of gasps resounded in the town center as the screen steadied and an image of a woman appeared crouching on the ground. “We’re back. For those tuning in, I’m Nadja Chamack reporting live from within the Tear where a few citizens of the Royal City fell through. We are still waiting for rescue.” The town center went silent. “There is no communication from Team Alpha after the last explosion. We lost all communication with them.”

Murmurs began to emerge in the crowd surrounding them. There were shouts from Royal guards and Adrien caught the scent of his father. Gabriel emerged from the left; Alphas from other packs were with him as they entered the barricaded area where Adrien, Alya, and their Elders were. Heavy thuds came from behind them and Adrien sensed the magic before he saw the group of faes, witches, and wizards.

“What’s happening?” Alya asked.

“We’re preparing for battle, kit.” Trixx said, walking toward them from the right. “The Queen wants the Alphas in the forefront with the high-ranking faes, witches, and wizards. Betas and Gammas in the rear, Deltas are in charge of the rest of the packs with mid-level mages. Tikki, we have-”

“Did they say anything about Marinette?” Tikki interrupted, she was at her wits’ end.

Adrien swiftly turned his attention to Trixx, focusing on her as she gulped and sighed. “Those sent to the Tear on scouting missions are not a priority.”

“Not a priority!?” Tikki snarled, “A wart’s hog it’s not a priority! She cannot send Chosens, our youth and future leaders, in the Tear and accept them as a lost cause!”

“There’s nothing we can do.”

“There’s everything we can do!”

“Enough!”

Tikki was trembling, glancing at Alya before glaring at Trixx again. “Your Chosen was not sent. Mine was.” Trixx took a step back, quiet and unsure.

The Tear twinkled at Adrien, winking its possibility and risk if he entered. He could find Marinette in the Tear. His nose was sharp and her scent was tattooed on him. He took a step towards it when screams were heard.

“Run! Run!” Nadia yelled as the few dozen people tried to find shelter as another explosion was heard. The unstable mountain base provided little to no coverage. Nadia and her cameraman hid behind a rotting tree trunk, one of the last reaming clues of life in the Tear. “An akuma is making its way towards the Tear. There are ten…ten and counting akumas two kilometers away and are heading towards the Tear that formed in Royal City. There is still no Alpha Team and we have no two-way communication with the Royal City. If anyone is watching this, I suggest evacuating right now.”

The murmurs in the town center increased as panic set it, but no one ripped their gaze from the television monitor.

“We need to do something,” Adrien yelled, “Plagg!”

“We cross the Tear, we’re a lost cause to the Queen,” Trixx said somberly. “No one from the royal guards or the Guards will help us.”

“So we watch?” Adrien bit back, “Watch as scared people get hurt, suffer, and die? Is that what we represent!?”

Gasps and cried rang around them and Adrien feared to face the screen again, but he did and paled as he saw a swirl of fire in the distance get launched towards Nadia and the people she was trying to protect. Adrien snapped and tried to run in the Tear but was stop by Royal guards.

“Manon,” Nadia trembled, holding a photo in her hands as she looked straight into the camera, calm as the blast of fire got near. “I love you.” She shut her eyes, ready for the end until a shout of excitement from one of the women in her group filled her with hope again. Nadia looked up and the smile that split her face was filled with awe.

The ball of fire was met with a blast of magic and dispersed.

“We’re…rescue is here. I repeat,” the camera angled to the right as a figure landed on the ground, a solid thump vibrating the ground. Nadia laughed in relief, “The Guards are here!”

Adrien shook as the dust settled and Marinette pushed one of her twin tails over her shoulder. Her profile did not hint battles or combat, only the tears and grime on her clothing did. She was wearing a black formfitting suit with red trimming, the entirety of her upper back expose as fabric crossed over her chest and lower back. Her wings were out and prominent, and two long red ribbons tied her hair in two tails.

His stomach then dropped and his heart ripped itself from his chest when she tilted her head to the side, lost in thought for a moment before turning to the camera. Blood. All there was blood, it poured from a wound above her right eyebrow. Her lower lip was beginning to swell and there was a long gash high on her cheek.

“Luka. Alix,” she finally spoke, “get them through the Tear.”

A tall man appeared from the shadows next to her, frowning but nodded his head. “Understood.”

“Who you just heard speak is Luka, an elf from the high mountains.” Nadia reported, “he is one of the five members of the Guards, alongside Alix, a witch of Black Grove, sent into the Tear more than two months ago with Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Fae Chosen and Lead Guard, leading the mission and her second-in-command, Felix, a rouge werecat.” She said. “The last member recently became Wayzz’s Chosen and joined the group a few days ago. His name is-”

“Nino,” Alya trembled, not believing as a visible wisp of smoke shot towards Marinette and bloomed out to form Nino. He was covered in wounds, his clothing ripped, and he could not see through his left eye. His glasses were gone along with his hat.

Paying no heed to Nadia and the camera, Nino turned to Marinette. “Three are low-level, five are mid-range, two are high-level, and the last one….”

“The last one?” Marinette perked her good eyebrow, calculating their next attack.

“Completely boss level. If you want to call dibs on it, it’s all yours.”

“Only because you don’t want to.”

“After the last beating I got, I need a break.”

“You need a break?” Marinette smirked; her split lip ached with the pull.

“Hey. I’m a delicate high breed man. I’m not a ruffian like you. My skin can’t take all this dry heat.”

“And you've only been here for a few days.”

“I wonder if Alya misses me,” he wondered out loud and glanced down at her, “I but Adrien misses you.”

“I’ll take the low level and the boss. Can you and Felix handle the rest?” She overlooked his comment. The thought of Adrien made her heartbreak to only flutter and piece itself back to together in an endless cycle. She ached to see him, her longing more painful than the wounds she has received. Yet, she did not want to see him, preferred to continue battling here in the Tear because she knew the reality of her status with him back in the Realm.

She wasn’t his mate.

But she was not bitter.

No, she would just rather impale herself on an akuma’s claw than to see Adrien all happy with his mate that wasn’t her.

Not bitter.

Not at all.

Stop thinking about him.

“I guess.”

“Scared, Lahiffe?” Felix stepped into view, his trousers low on his hips and his normally wrinkle-free dress shirt gone, revealing the wounds covering his torso.

“Never!”

“Good,” Marinette stepped forward and flew up at a high speed. Letting the bitterness she had rip from her skin as she passed the first layer of clouds and then the second. She curved, calculated, targeted, and dove in for the attack.

Nadia’s cameraman stepped back and tripped, but quickly got up as if he sensed Adrien’s growl of anger. The rocky view steady on the approaching akumas and Nadia narrated the entire battle the best she could as they slowly created more space between them and the akumas.

Felix was able to defeat two akumas in a few minutes; his roar pierced the air as he went for his third. Nino was like a gust of wind. Melding and twisting swiftly to attach, block, avoid, and repeat. He cornered an akuma and detonated lightening out of his wand, pushing the akuma back until he whipped his wand away and sent a purifying spell. The akuma disappeared.

Vines rose from the ground, interlocking three akumas. Marinette tensed her hand, palms up as the vines grew thicker and raised the akumas up. She squeezed her hand and the vines mimicked. She sent purifying orb at the three of them, the orbs exploding and burning them all, taking one of Nino’s mid-range target for herself.

“Hey!” Nino cried. “That was mine!”

Marinette huffed in amusement and finally focused on the largest akuma. She dodged a ray of fire from its mouth and flew, her wings taking her beyond the clouds again. The akuma roared at the sky as a magnificent range of color burst and impaled themselves on its body.

Two more akumas fell by Nino’s hands.

Luka and Alix filtered back and forth between the Tear, bring more people through quickly and safely before heading back. More lights rained from the sky. The large akuma was pushed back and cheers were heard through the screen and in the town center.

Adrien could only hear the pounding of his heart.

Plagg, Tikki, his father, Alya, and the Royal guards stopped him from following Luka and Alix every single time they entered the Tear.

Then, the large akuma, covered in red skin with black bubbling and slithering underneath, shirked in fury. A flicker of light gleamed from its mouth before it swelled and blasted out. Aiming where it turned its head.

They lost connection.

“Marinette?” Adrien murmured, shocked from the stillness, he did not notice Plagg’s grip on his shoulder until he tried to shoot forward. “Let me go, Plagg! Marinette!”

“Alya!” Trixx pinned her Chosen down to the ground, “Stop!”

“Nino!” Alya cried out, pulling away from her Elder with fierce strength, “Nino!”

Cheers broke out.

Adrien smelt blood and burnt clothes, hair, and skin before he saw Alix carrying Nadia through the portal. She passed her to a Royal guard, about to turn back until she saw Luka passed through the Tear. He dropped the cameraman and the last civilian before running through the Tear again.

Silence.

Silence has never been so loud to Adrien before.

He felt it in his bones.

Smelt it in the air.

Saw it in the glimmering reflection of the Tear.

The surface of the Tear broke again and he smelt more blood, strong and plentiful.

Alya’s eyes widened. Recognizing the smell she was searching for her whole life. It was warm and smelled of cinnamon and sweet chai. It was the perfect late autumn afternoon underneath the shying sunlight. “Nino?”

Luka hurried through the Center with Nino close by his side. “Medic,” Nino croaked, his arm slugged out Luka’s shoulder as he struggled to walk. “We need a medic!” He yelled until someone ran up to him. “Not me,” Nino hissed, his knees bulking. Jolting when he felt soft hands on his face. He looked up and saw pretty amber eyes. “Alya?”

“I need a medic!” Felix burst threw the Tear as he shouted, “Now!” He was losing composure. It was obvious to anyone who saw him as the weight in his arms grew heavy with guilt. Marinette was barely breathing, her eyes glazing over, pale as her veins became visible with black ink.

Her blood was saturating the town center.

“Marinette,” Adrien croak and burst forward.

The medics beat him to her.

Crowds of hands pushed him back as she was being placed on a gurney, staining it with blood, too.

She was bleeding so much.

“We’re losing her!”

Adrien snapped like a lion chained in a cage. He pushed through people, knocking them over like feathers as his fangs grew and his hair blackened. Hands were wrapped around his arms and legs, gripping him around his torso and chest, his father scent wafted under his chin as he was pulled away. “Marinette!”

Parting the sea of people, Tikki stride through the chaos, face ashen and hard. “Get back,” she snarled at everyone. “Get back now you sour toads! Put her down.” She demanded and medics did not hesitate to follow her orders.

Softly, they lowered the gurney down.

Marinette laid there, still.

So still.

It took Tikki a second to realize Marinette was gone. In that same second, terror washed over her as she stared at her Chosen. The bright smile Marinette would throw her away was gone. The constant pink flush on her cheeks was gone. The billows of magic that rose from her aura that was light and tasted of sweet plum blossom jam was gone. Worst of all, the twinkle of light in her eyes was gone.

She was gone.

Tikki’s hand glowed a vibrant white, falling to her knees she struck her hand against Marinette’s chest. Gasps sounded through the center among the shouts of royal guards ordering Pollen to close the Tear as the orb of blinding light pressed against Marinette’s chest.

Tikki held it there, forced it to enter Marinette’s body centimeter by centimeter until it broke through, immersing itself in her until it shot out into the sky. Marinette arched her back and gasped for air, struggling to fill her lung as acid burned through her. Tikki chuckled in relief, reaching over to soothe her Chosen until Marinette wilted and coughed violently. Black was darkening her veins again.

Her soul was being tainted.

“Pollen,” Tikki called for her fellow Elder as she cast a healing spell and held it above Marinette’s chest. If the poison took over not only will she lost Marinette, but her Chosen would also become an akuma. “Pollen!”

“I’m trying!” Pollen shouted back, she was almost done closing the Tear.

Marinette started to hyperventilate, staring up at Tikki and whimpering as pain tore at her.

“I’m here. I’m right here, Marinette,” Tikki tried to comfort her Chosen, shaking as she shouted for Pollen again.

Marinette coughed violently, black spewed from her mouth.

“Pollen, I need you!”

Marinette began to look around, kicking as hands started to hold her down. It was painful. Agony. She tried not to think about it. Tried to think of other things. She thought of her parents, of their warm hugs and kind smiles. She thought of Tikki, of her happy smiles and caring words. She thought of her friends, of their excited shouts and adventures. She thought of Adrien, of the warm fluttering of wings he made in her.

Marinette pushed and kicked until she was free enough to turn on her stomach and scream as her iridescent wings burst straight up and began to corrode. Marinette was pushed back onto her back, the medics strapping her in as the gurney rose again. They moved her into the ambulance. Tikki trained by her side, the green halting the spread of the poison. “Pollen!”

The pixie Elder was pulled away from the Tear, “Wayzz?”

“Go.” Wayzz rushed to close the Tear.   
  
“I’m here,” Pollen said, her hands glowing with a healing incantation as she stepped into the ambulance as well.

“Keep her steady,” Tikki demanded. “Please. Keep her steady.”

Marinette saw green.

“Adrien…?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I quickly want to thank salty-french-fry for her wonderful fanart of my fic!! (*´∀`*) It's so lovely!!!! and you are so sweet!! I truly appreciate it and I hope this chapter brings a moment of happiness in your day.
> 
> Please see it on her tumblr page: http://salty-french-fry.tumblr.com/post/167511765122/some-fairy-tale-marichat-bc-ive-been-reading-this


	17. Akumatized Chat

Marinette breathed in deeply and sat up, breaking the healing incantation cast over her. Her nose twitched and she rubbed it groggily and then her eyes, weary as the sun shined through the window. Her mouth was dry. She noticed pink. Turning, she smiled softly at the vase of peonies next to her bed. She then saw another vase and then another.

Actually, her entire room was cover in them.

That wasn’t normal.

And neither was her room.

“W-where am I?” she rasped.

The news of her awakening swept through the Realm within an hour before reaching the Common Lands. Adrien was on his way home after he visited Marinette for the day when he got the news. He added his visits to his daily routine since the day she was admitted a month ago.

Crossing over to the Common Land, his phone rang. “Hello?”

“Adrien,” Tikki sounded hurried on the other end and it made him nervous. “Where are you?”

“I just crossed to the Common Lands.”

“Just now?”

“Yes.”

“You’re still at the station?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Cross back to the Realm. I’m going to get you.”

“W-why? Is Marinette okay?”

“She’s awake!” She shouted on the other end, squealing in excitement.

“She…she is?”

“Yes! She woke up almost twenty minutes ago!”

“I was just with her!?”

“It seems your luck can’t give you break,” Tikki sang, “Hurry and cross over. I’ll come by.” She hung up before he could say anything else but his heart was swelling and throbbing in excitement that it didn’t matter to him.

She was awake.

Adrien pushed passed through strings of people to cross back over to the Realm, apologizing as he went along, thinking only of her. Trembling as he thought of her.

She was awake.

Relief overwhelmed him to the point that he did not notice tears spouting from his eyes. He thought of the future, of telling her everything and starting their future together, if she wanted. Nevertheless, inside of him, he felt there was going to be a change in his relationship with Marinette. A change for the good. He felt it. It was there in the center of his chest that sparked through him, down to his fingertips and toes.

Adrien crossed over to the Realm again and ran passed the metro platforms and up the winding oak staircase to emerge onto the swirling streets of Royal City. He breathed in deeply, cringing at the smell of creatures and magic and looked to the left, waiting for Tikki to turn the corner in her red carriage. Adrien counted down to one from ten and her dome vehicle curved the corner.

“Get in!” She shouted with a grin before making a full stop. Once he was inside, she raced towards the hospital, happiness bubbling out of her as she talked about the phone call she received from the doctor, the positive results they gave her, the possibility of Marinette being discharged from the hospital sooner than they expected. And he listened to every word she said, holding them close to his heart as relief filled him and his anxiety finally expelled.

She was awake and her results were more than great.

She was fine.

Thank the Gods.

“Almost there!” Tikki thrilled, almost causing them to crash with the car next to them. The tall building with blue lights was getting closer when a distilled smell curled through the carriage’s vent and Adrien paled. Tikki braked, her tires screaming at the sudden stop and she braced Adrien with her forearm as the car rocketed forward. “What?!”

Outside, people were running to the left, screaming as an akuma ripped out from the sky through a freshly made Tear. “They’re heading to the hospital,” Adrien stated, getting out of the car and morphing into a werecat. He ran towards a building to kick off it and capture an akuma before it went towards the hospital. He sank his claws into its back and burst into lights, he had to get to the hospital and make sure Marinette was safe.

A churning twist was produced in Tikki’s stomach as she looked up at the hospital, at the window where Marinette’s room was. She took out her communicator and contacted the Royal Guards, launching a spell at a passing akuma, purifying it as she spoke and ran towards the hospital. She had to make sure her Chosen was not getting into trouble.

An akuma crashed onto the ground in front of them, screeching as it purified and turned to white orbs. Adrien’s eyes widened, sandalwood filtered through the air and a distinct musk he had to recognize because it was his own. He turned towards the source and faced the man that was Marinette’s second-in-command during her mission, the man that saved her.

Why did he smell like him?

Felix blinked slowly but politely as he corrected his tousled hair back down despite his clothing being ripped due to his own transformation. “Adrien, I presume,” Felix said, looking passed Adrien for a moment to watch a green iridescent akuma. “Marinette speaks fondly of you.”

“Felix,” Tikki walked towards them, an akuma fell behind her and eroded into lights. “I need you to-”

“Marinette!” A voice roared from above.

“I told her it was a bad idea,” Felix sighed, frowning at Tikki and Adrien’s sharp glances.

“What was a ‘bad idea’, Felix?” Tikki’s smile was strain and thin. “What’s going on?”

Felix answered, “Le Papillion is seeking his prized talisman.”

“Le Papillion? Who’s that?”

“Bring me the girl and the Miraculous!” The same voice growled out.Felix perked an eyebrow.

Felix perked an eyebrow, “him.”

Tikki frowned, “What was the ‘bad idea?’”

“Stealing the Miraculous,” He said off-handily, glancing over at Adrien. “I told her it was a bad idea to steal it without proper reinforcement.”

“Her?”

“Marinette,” Felix smirked coolly, “Who else? She snuck into Le Papillion’s domain and stole the Miraculous stone. Worst of all…she was caught and absorbed it to escape.” Another crash came. “And I can only assume Le Papillion wants it back.”

Tikki’s placed a hand on her temple to stop the twitching nerve there, “Oh.”

Adrien turned to the hospital and evaluated the amount of akumas crawling over the building. He growled when he spotted one akuma almost ten floors away from her window.

“You are correct,” Felix stepped forward, “They’re after her. We have to get to her before they do or, worst, before she does something –” Pink exploded out from the hospital building. “Reckless,” Felix finished.

“That’s Marinette’s room,” Tikki prompted, her wings sprouting open.

Adrien was already running towards it when Felix shouted Marinette’s name, urging her to stop. Adrien looked up, trembling in fear as he saw her on the roof, running to the edge as two akumas chased her. She stopped at the edge and turned around. He roared as she let herself fall backward, her hospital gown ripped off and her wings encased over her torso as she spiraled down. The akuma that could fly followed her, pulling its wings back to gain speed as they got closer and closer to the floor.

Everything inside of him dropped the millisecond she opened her wings, missing crashing into the ground by a meter. The akuma, however, was not as skillful and collided into the concrete. She flipped and skidded to a stop, her hair loose and swept across her naked back. Her magic slowly formed an iridescent bralette as she examined the scene in front of her, the sheer pink magic around her torso almost blended with her skin.

“Marinette!” Adrien, Felix, and Tikki were running up to her, Adrien getting to her first, his hand hesitated to grab her.

Tilting her head up, Marinette was flustered at seeing Adrien but ripped her gaze to Felix, “That scaly green one is yours, isn’t?”

“Marinette, what are you doing?!” Tikki snapped, staring at the bandages wrapped around her Chosen’s stomach that were turning red.

“It is,” Felix answered, “but I am afraid as long as we don’t have the Rift Stone I am…,” he followed the tiny blue stone she threw up in the air and causally caught, realizing the implication. “You could have been killed!” He stated next with a snarl.

“Let’s get you home, Fancy Cat.” Marinette ignored him, her wings slapping Felix’s hand away when he tried to stop her and she flew up.

“Marinette!” Felix growled.

“Ready, Fancy Cat?” Nino swept down on his broom, smirking at both confused blondes. “Mari-cake told me what’s happening. I have your back, dude.”

“Explain, Nino!” Tikki demanded.

“In a moment,” Nino sang and knocked Felix onto his broom. “Let’s fly!”

“Nino!” Felix snarled indignantly as they shot into the air.

Ahead of them, Marinette felt her energy dispelling. She was tired, so tired but this was her chance to get Felix home. She just has to throw the Rift Stone through the Tear along with the akuma she just sent energy blasts toward and aggravated. Then, Nino will launch Felix through the Tear and land the Fancy Cat back in his dimension.

Tears prickled her eyes as she dodged an attack from the green iridescent akuma, already missing Felix. Curving back, she got behind the akuma and shot it was a rosy beam of magic, sending it through the Tear. Rapidly, she flew towards the Tear and threw the Rift Stone through it, causing it to gleam white instead of black. She saw Nino rush passed her with Felix, and she smiled and waved at him as her magic gave out.

She fell towards the earth.

Stay calm.

Stay calm.

Preserve the magic until the last moment.

She repeated the mantra as many times as she could as she fell through layers and layers of clouds until finally she opened her wings and guided herself towards a remote park, tumbling and crashing until she stopped. She rolled onto her back and held back the scream of pain in her side, her stitched probably opened up even more.

Tikki was going to be mad.

However, it was worth it because the Tear was closed.

Felix was back in his dimension with his mate.

A tear rolled down her cheek and then a shadow fell above her. She tilted back, paling as Le Papillion stood there. His cane impaled on the ground next to her head and his hand glowed a sheer purple. “The Miraculous. Give it back to me.”

“Figuratively,” she breathed out, “over my dead body. Literally,” she smiled a little too arrogantly despite the situation she was in, “over my dead body.”

Le Papillion sneered, anger boiled in him but he took a deep breath. He was troubled she noticed. “Luckily, for you, I have no intention of killing you.”

“No?”

“No,” he answered, “I am not that kind of man.”

“What kind of man are you?”

“A desperate one.”

“Why do you need the Miraculous?” She asked, staring up at him, his cane still next to her head.

He stayed quiet for a moment, pondering his answer and the words that could best express his train of thought. “I need it to save my mate,” he answered honestly and he smiled at her shocked expression.

“Your mate...?”

“She has been cursed after finding the Miraculous Stone of Illusion. She is dying,” he answered honestly. “And I will do anything to save her.”

Marinette frowned, “You send akumas into the Realm.”

“To find you, I need that Miraculous Stone of Creation.”

“If you use the Miraculous, you will die.”

“I know.” Le Papillon smiled sadly, “Weres… we will do anything to protect our mates, our cubs. It is ironic that you are the wielder of the Miraculous of Creation. I hope you will one day forgive me. For now, I have to imprison you.” From his palm, a butterfly appeared and Marinette paled. The butterfly was different though. Instead of white, it was a hue of violet. “I do want to apologize,” Le Papillon said, “my charge, the white one,” he indicated to the butterfly, “was never meant for you.”

“Me?”

“Does not matter. We will cross the bridge soon enough.” The violet butterfly lifted from his fingertips and barely made a single flap to her when a large hand encased over it.

Adrien stood above her, snarling at Le Papillion, and created distance between Le Papillion and Marinette. Le Papillon looked at Adrien’s hand, “Fool!” Adrien attacked. The werecat dodging every magic attack but he couldn’t get close to Le Papillion. Every time he did, Le Papillion would vanish and reappear behind him.

“Adrien,” Marinette groaned and rolled to her side, she pushed herself up. She saw the butterfly infecting him. Felix said that non-magical welding creatures were affected quicker and were prone to ‘expiring’ sooner. “Adrien!” She sent a protection spell towards him, blocking the blast of magic Le Papillion sent. She fell to her elbows, dizzy but she propped herself up again and used the last bit of magic she had to send a bolt of red lightening towards Le Papillion. It was a direct hit, entering through his left shoulder and leaving him wounded. Le Papillion looked at her as blood poured from his right arm. He was barely able to block Adrien’s fist and decided to retreat for now. His eyes steady on Marinette as he disappeared in a whirl of smoke.

Adrien collapsed, panting as shivers rake through his body as he automatically morphed back to a human. The source of his pain came from his right hand, it scorched and screamed and sent tiny course of burning needles through him. He couldn’t move. It paralyzed him.

His eyes burst open at a gentle touch on his cheek and despite the pain he was in his tail managed to curve toward Marinette’s kneeling form. His heart thundering for another reason now.

“Adrien,” she called out to him, her other hand reaching towards his infected palm. “You’ll be okay,” she reassured him, pausing at the large cut on his cheek, remembering a conversation from so long ago. A soft green light shined on her right jaw, coming from the healing incantation she cast. She was frowning, concern etched on her brows and his tail wrapped around her ankle, she assumed it was out of comfort. “I won’t leave you.” Her spell wasn’t working. The black inking into his body at a rapid rate that alarmed her.

It took three weeks for the poison to affect her the way it affected him.

She looked back at Adrien, his eyes shut and his lips thin and tight as he struggled to stay still and quiet. He was the one in pain yet she whimpered, brushing his hair away. She pressed her forehead against his and whispered, “Extraction.” She cast the spell softly, felt the pure energy flow into him as she leaned down to press her lips to his. Like Felix stated weeks ago, she imagined the tainted magic lift off of him and into the sphere in her palm.

After long moments, she pulled away and smiled as his skin was free from the black vines of Le Papillion’s magic. His palm pink and empty of the butterfly marking, and the green orb she had in her hand encased the butterfly She gripped it slightly, breaking the curse and dispelling the butterfly into white orbs.

Smiling, she turned back to Adrien, about to ask him how he was when his hand curled around the back of her head. He leaned up as he tugged her down, their lips met again in a soft union. He felt her lashes brush against his cheeks and groaned, pulling and pressing her closer until she pulled away in a gasp when she felt his tail that wrapped around the high point of her thigh.

They looked at each other, a little lost at what happened and both wanting to continue. However, Marinette felt something else that wasn’t the pleasant fluttering of wings that was making Adrien yowl to the large blue moon in his mind. Her face heated, mouth gaped open as guilt filled her.

She just kissed another person’s mate.

That was against the law.

She could be sent to prison.

She was a home wrecker.

“I-I’m sorry!”


	18. Rejection

“Marinette?”

Puttering her lashes for a moment, she realized she did not hear a word Luka said. She flushed red and apologized profoundly. Embarrassed that she was thinking about Adrien while she was on a date with Luka.

She thought since she enjoyed his presence as a friend, she could learn to like his presence in a romantic lighting, which was why she agreed to go out with him during the Day of the Stars, a courting holiday.

Marinette leaned back in her chair, swirling her cup of coffee that was almost the color of almond with the amount of milk she added and allowed her thoughts to wander back to Adrien. It has been two days since Le Papillion attacked the Realm. Two days since Felix disappeared through the Tear. She could only hope he was back in his dimension with his mate, rubbing his cheek on her head instead of Marinette’s.

She missed that fancy cat. His scent was a comfort when they were at the Tear, and knowing he was a reflection of Adrien only cooled the aching affection she had towards Adrien. Now, Felix was gone and the ache throbbed. She pathetically now had to use a shirt she borrowed – but never returned – of Adrien to calm her needy moods.

Which was why she also agreed to this date.

Luka was nice and pleasant, handsome too with eyes like a sunset. She liked the color of his hair and the manner he used his hand to play a variety of instruments. She liked that he separated his food into three sections and ate them from left to right. He was quirky and made her laugh. He was easy to be with.

Maybe easy to love?

At the end of her date, Luka walked her home, both stumbling due to the amount of wine and cocktails they drank. Laughter filled the streets and when they parted ways, they both agreed to a second date. Even though the day was filled with fun and she laughed her stomach hurt, she still thought of Adrien. He was the sun peeking between blinds, the warm sunlight the penetrated the cold breeze to warm her skin. She craved him but no, that was not going to happen. She hoped she could have fallen in love with Luka. She was waiting for that thunderous moment to the point she checked the forecast.

That moment never came.

Once inside of her apartment, she kicked her heels off and arched her back to get rid of the kinks. She jerked when her side screamed. Rubbing her side, she checked the wound and sighed in relief that it did not open. Her stitching was almost closed and she did not need to reopen it again for the third time. Tikki will have an aneurysm if she did. Adrien would have probably scowled at her, turning red from his displeasure of seeing her hurt again. 

She stopped chuckling at the thought and wilted. Again, she thought of him. She was filled with longing for the large domestic alley cat that made himself at home in her heart and thoughts. She was filled with guilt because she kissed the large domestic alley cat who had a mate and, worst of all, liked it. She liked the feeling of his lips on her. The smooth skin and the tender way he cradled her head to the side to deepened it oh so softly.

She should be repulsed by that kiss and by him. What kind of mated werecat willingly kissed another person that was not their mate? Was that not against their nature? Their entire breeding system? Weres were known of being fiercely loyal to their mates, and possessive, and it was not unheard of elderly mated Weres dying within minutes of each other or fighting to the death to protect their claim on their mate. So bonded that love spells do not work on them.

So, she wondered what that kiss meant.

Why did he kiss her?

Maybe…she was his mate?

“Nope,” Marinette pushed herself off of the door and strolled over to her couch, determined to not touch that hopeful question at all because if that were true she would have known by now. They knew each other for four years. He would have told her if she was his mate. What kind of Were does not tell their mate that they were their mate?

Marinette reached over to the trinket box she kept on a shelf next to the window, tracing the blue vines over the porcelain before pushing it open. She set the box on the table and pulled letters out, more than two hundred. Letters penned by Adrien who wrote to her over the years. Letters she kept. She scanned the letters, his curved words and smiled at his clever puns and play on words, searching for a confession that was not there.

“I can’t do this anymore,” she whispered over the dozens of unfolded letters, smoothing a wrinkled note with a doodle of a ladybug.

Move on.

She had to move on.

She had to tell him she moved on.

“Yeah,” she muttered, sitting up. “I’ll tell him I’m over him.” She got up and marched over to her forgotten purse on the ground and dug for her communicator. Undoing her hair with on hand, she dialed his number and waited for him to answer. “Just you see, Mardi, I am going to tell him I’m done with him. Done with all the feelings I have for him.”

The black fat kitten she happened to cross yesterday and decided to adopt flicked his tail at her. It meowed and it was an unconvinced meow at her declaration that made her huff.

“Voicemail,” she stated to Mardi, “Adrien. It’s Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Fae Chosen and Lead Guard. I am just calling you to tell you I am not going to love you anymore. Why? Because I went on a date today. Why? Because I am done with these feelings I have for you. That kiss you gave me? Yeah, it made me love you even more but I am going to kiss a slew of men so I can forget it. Those letters you sent me, I’m going to burn them. All those memories I have of you, I am going to cast a Forget-me-Knot spell to erase them. If I don’t remember you, then I can’t love you and I can’t fantasize about you being mine if I can’t remember you. So, ha. Now, if you excuse me. I will continue my life with a large void in it because I love you but I am also rejecting you and this…emotion. Thank you. Goodbye.”

Marinette hanged up with a satisfied smile that fell after a moment as a sober Marinette, red in the face, shoved the reality of what she had done into her face. “No!” she screamed at her phone, hovering over the call button wondering if she could take that back.

“Time spell!” She shot up and tripped over her feet, remembering that time spells were forbidden and considered to be black magic. “But it will be for a good cause,” she tried to explain to her reflection. “Or you will mess up with the timeline and be the reason why hundreds of akumas flood the Realms and Common Lands.” She groaned. “Mon Dieu, what have I done?!” She covered her face with her hands and kicked her legs back and forth. Adrien can’t hear that message. She had to make sure he didn’t. She has to find a way to steal it in a clever manner. “Alya.” Marinette scrambled back to her phone, grabbing her heels and ran out the door as she dialed Alya.

“Hello,” Alya sang on the other end. “What’s good?” Marinette’s bellowed out what happened to only have Alya stop her mid-explanation. “Okay…you’re in a panic, I understand, but I cannot understand one thing you said to me besides my name.”

“I messed up,” Marinette cried out, groaning as she went to cast a portal.

“How?”

“I can’t explain! I just need to know where Adrien’s at!?”

“Why?”

“Alya!”

“I’m not going to tell you until you tell me why you are looking for the next uprising Chat Noir.”

“I did! I told you I messed up.”

“But how,” Alya pushed, feeling slightly bad for finding amusement in Marinette’s distress.

Marinette stiffened her lips, “I called him.”

“And?”

The portal solidified and Marinette crossed over to the Common Lands. “And left a voice message.”

“That said?”

“Embarrassing stuff,” she groaned.

“Like,” Alya sang.

“Like…,” Marinette stopped, breathing in the Common Land’s air. The sun was still high in the sky, “that I don’t love him anymore?”

There was silence on the other end. Unknown to Marinette, Alya placed the phone on mute and laughed happily on the other end. She felt giddy and let all of that out of her system until she exhaled sharply and unmuted her phone. “Oh? So, why do you want to find him for?”

“To delete that message,” Marinette rushed out. “Where is he? Alya,” she whined.

“He’s at D'Argencourt’s Fencing Studio in third. I’ll meet you there,” she sang and hanged up. Alya has to beat Marinette there. There could be the right moment, the right opportunity and she will not let Adrien mess it up this time.

“This is weird,” Alya stated when they met up. She scrunched her nose, trying to smell Marinette but the Fae hid her scent with a spell. “I don’t like it.” _And neither will Adrien_ , she thought. “But it’s smart.”

“I just need to sneak in, steal his phone, delete the message, return the phone, and done. I won’t die of embarrassment.” She repeated that to herself and Alya multiple times. “Ready!?”

“Yeah, I’ll go in the front and distract him?”

“And I’ll go in the back!”

~o~o~o~o~

Adrien jolted and paused his forward position. He went to his starting mark and looked behind him, his nose twitching and his senses cipher the thousands of note in the air to find a faint one, Marinette’s. He perked, following the scent so easily now.

“Marinette?” His heart was thunderous. He hadn’t seen her since they kissed. She ran off immediately afterward and he had been in such a daze, his thoughts lingering on the kiss, that he only realized this morning that two days had passed since then. He was planning on going to see her tomorrow and luck seemed to be smiling down on him because she was here. “Marinette?” He practically ripped his helmet, intending to find her eagerly like a smitten cat when Alya burst through the front door.

“What’s good?” She asked with a big smile.

Adrien pointed towards the locker rooms, “Marinette.”

“She used a spell to mask her scent. How can you still smell her?”

“She’s my mate,” Adrien stated to her as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Of course,” Alya sighed, stopping him from brawling to the locker rooms. “Hold on there, Blondie. I have to tell you something important.”

Adrien fidgeted back and forth, glancing at the door impatiently. “What?”

“Before seeing or speaking to Marinette, listen to your voicemail.”

“What?”

“Listen to Alya. She is wise. She is beautiful and only good things will happen - very good things - if you listen to the voicemail first. Okay? Yes? We’re good?” She nodded and Adrien mimicked, “Good. I’m out. Tell Mari I’ll catch her later.”

“Alya –”

“Do it,” she waved over her shoulder. “Oh, and you’re welcome,” she sang. They both paused for a moment at a soft thud. “She’s very serious by the way.”

Adrien pivoted and walked towards the locker room. Another fencer was in there getting dress and he did not want Marinette to walk in on his classmate half-naked. Opening the door quietly and sticking his head in. He heard soft scuffling to the left near the last row of lockers. He opened the door wider but it got stuck, he looked down and saw his classmate fast asleep on the ground.

His instinct told him to go to Marinette but Alya’s advice was nailed to his head. He looked to the right and went towards to his locker. He opened it and pulled his phone out, seeing he had a few messages from Nino, a missing call from Marinette and a voicemail as well.

He went to his voicemail when he noticed a pink mist curling around the corner. He pressed his phone to his ear as Marinette skidded the corner and met his eyes, paling as he began to listen to the voicemail’s stoic introduction.

“Wait! W-wait! Y-you can’t!” Marinette shouted and ran towards him, “Stop!”

“W-woah,” he lifted his hand up, holding his phone away after she stepped on the bench and jumped on him. “Marinette!” He caught her with one arm and she clung to him, legs wrapped around his waist as she reached up for his phone. He could barely hear her voicemail through her cries, but it was hard to pay attention to that too when her chest was smothering the side of his face.

They tittered back and forth, both sputtering and shouting while she struggled to push herself up and grab his phone. Their pulling and pushing stopped when he lost his balance and they tottered over. Adrien grunted at the hard landing, surprised when he felt both of her hands behind his head, protecting it from smacking against the hard floor.

“Adrien, are you okay?” She asked quickly.

“Y-yeah,” he said breathlessly, drowning in her concern gaze. His lips lifted to a grin, “I didn’t lose any teeth, did I?”

She frowned, “Why? Would you throw a hissy fit if you did?”

“Not if my fae-vorite fairy is here.”

She chuckled and almost complimented him when, like a snared ladybug in a web, she launched herself towards his phone again. He stopped fighting her the moment her chest was on his face again. “Ha!” She cheered victoriously, snatching his phone out of his hand, and threw it.

He did not care that his phone went crashing to the other side of the room and that he might have to replace his screen again. He was currently in a cloud of her scent, the warmth of her body on his and he took it all in. He smelt another man’s scent on her, probably a colleague, and his own musk secreted from his pores to coat her. Eyes slid shut, his hand steadied on her waist, his thumbs rubbed tiny circles like he always did in his dreams. However, those dreams normally took a turn to the explicit and he should not think about them in his current position.

Above him, Marinette stilled, panting heavily but then sighed in relief. She got the phone away from him. Now, she had to explain to him why. How can she do that? Also, how can she explain that she still needed to delete the message without him hearing it?

She sat on him, determined to blurt everything out to him when his gaze stopped her. The words could not even manifest in the base of her throat with how quickly his warm gaze immobilized her. That and her realization that she was sitting on him made her cheeks flush in heat.

This was not part of the plan.

No. The plan was to get the phone, erase the message, place the phone back, and disappear into the Tear for another two and a half month to get over her embarrassment. Sitting on him was not part of the plan. It wasn’t in the layout, pre-planning, or the projection on the success of her mission.

Where did she go wrong?

Well, she needed to say something, right?

“Well…you see what had happened…w-what had…Adrien…,” she stuttered as he sat up, leaning closer to her but paused at her gasp. “Adrien?”

His lips skimmed over bottom lip, his hand cupped her cheeks and she melted against him, his mouth on hers before she could analyze where her path went astray. She tightened her hold on the loose fabric of his pants, shutting her eyes as colors burst around her. The chaste kiss was everything she longed for, sweet and soft, fluttering emotions in her that made her wings tremble, and she whined at the lost of them.

The room was getting musky and heated and dense and heavy. Her clothes, thin cotton fabrics, were suddenly itchy and uncomfortable. She wanted them off. She wanted to feel his skin on hers, wondered how his body would feel press tightly against hers. She wanted to be touched by him, wanted more than just the pressure of his hand between her breasts, feeling the unsteadiness of her heart.

Grasping his chin with the ever-growing whiskers of his already making their presence know, she pulled lightly and kissed him. She kissed him like she was dying for oxygen and he was the fresh air of the Alps. He flooded her senses and she wanted more. She was sure she did ask for more because he growled and wrapped his arms around her tightly, curling them over so she was on the ground.

They kissed slowly at first, moving leisurely and flirtatiously, smiles and glances across the dance floor until the beating of their heart quickened and so did their hunger for each other. The tender kiss expelled heat when their lips opened and she met his tongue yearningly. The embarrassment was momentarily gone from her soul as she tugged him closer to her, her hand buried in his hair, quirking a smile at his cat ears before his hips grounded between her thighs. Her whine made him pause and in those seconds she noticed his tail was curled around her thigh again, this time the tip rested fully against her heat. Another whine from her throat made him kiss the corner of her lips, her cheek, and neck.

“Please, Adrien,” she said, the silent plead for him to mark her hidden between the syllables. “A-”

“Adrien! Are you here, Bro?” Nino walked into the locker room and blinked, “Um, dude, I know you’re basically a cat and all…but why are you lying on the ground?”

“I hate you,” Adrien frowned, his tail flickered side to side in irritation and the back of his head stinging slightly from how fast Marinette pushed him and ran away. “So much.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments and sorry for all the frustrations I'm causing you. 
> 
> I have not considered writing a story for Bridgette and Felix. If I do it will most likely be an extra chapter at the very end? Like, a chapter 32??? Hm, maybe.


	19. Homework

“Nino!”

The ruler slammed on Nino’s desk and caused him to scream in fright. He blushed at Trixx’s glare and slumped into his chair. “Um, hi?”

“How was your nap?”

“Interrupted,” he admitted and chuckled nervously. Alya leaned over when Trixx turned around and smacked him lightly on the back of his head.

“I believe all of you are taking this lesson lightly!” Trixx snarled, “We were invaded not just three weeks ago almost lost one of our own,” she glanced to Adrien, his face pensive. “We cannot allow this to happen again.”

“Where’s Marinette?” Alya asked again, “You haven’t told us where the Queen took her.”

“Why do you keep thinking I would reveal such highly classified information to you, Alya?” Trixx sighed and spoke loudly for the entire class to hear, “I will say it to everyone again. Marinette’s whereabouts are currently hidden due to the threat of Le Papillon.”

Chloe looked over to Adrien, frowning at the concern that was poisoning his normally chiseled face over his lost fae mate and rolled her eyes. She was too nice sometimes. “Excuse me, I, too, would like to know where Marinette Dupain-Cheng is at.”

“Too bad,” Trixx growled.

Chloe crossed her arms with a gasp, “Do you know who I am!?”

“Do you know that I don’t care,” Trixx shot back.

“Are they trying to remove the Miraculous from her?” Adrien suddenly asked.

Trixx glared at the blond cat chosen but saw he met the sharp gaze with one of his own, “Class dismissed.” Trixx grabbed her bag and walked out of the classroom.

“But we still have thirty minutes,” Max piped up.

Trixx ignored him, “Don’t forget your assignments are due this Friday."

“Wait, Trixx,” Alya stood from her seat, unsure if she should move or stay until she saw other Guards rise up and shamble their ways out of the classroom. “What is their deal? Plagg is acting the same, too, hasn’t he?”

“Not to the degree Trixx is but he is acting strangely,” Adrien stood and tugged his backpack on his shoulder.

Following the incident in the locker room, Adrien asked to see Marinette the following day, using the pretense that he needed his phone back – she took it when escaped the locker room. However, that morning his stomach twisted violently and he knew something was wrong. She was still accessible that morning. He called her to ask if they could push their meet up time and she agreed with an embarrassed groan.

He rushed to meet her and she did not show up. After twenty minutes, he ran to her apartment. She wasn’t there. He ran to Tikki’s office where Tikki sat in her chair, red in the face, waves of rage cascading from her. She told him the Queen’s Royal Guard came and took Marinette away under the jest of protection.

“So, he’s hiding something?” Alya asked, stuffing her backpack with her items.

“Definitely.” Chloe piped in, surprising them all. “What? I can’t be part of the Chosen gang?” She frowned. It was only last week when Pollen declared Chloe her Chosen, shocking everyone, including Chloe, that the daughter of the mayor was, in fact, not a fae but a pixie.

“I thought you hated us,” Nino stated with a lift of his ball cap.

“I hate your sense of style. Personality–wise, you’re all tolerable with the exception of Adrinkin. He’s fabulous as always.”

“What about Marinette?” Alya asked.

“What about her?”

“I thought you disliked her.”

“I like her shoes and her…personality,” Chloe blushed. “Also, I feel bad for her.” Alya snickered and asked why to which Chloe replied, “Because how can someone that pretty be stupid and dense?!” She huffed and stuck her noses in the air, “I would be jumping in joy if I found my mate.”

“You would?” Nino asked looking at Alya, “Would you?”

“Yes!” Alya shouted, sweating as she glared at Adrien’s smug face. “W-what kind of Were doesn’t?”

Nino shrugged his shoulders, “Just trying to prep myself when you leave me.” He laughed but there were hints of somberness to it.

Alya squirmed under Adrien’s stare before she lowly hissed at him, “Oh shut up. You’re worse than me.”

“So! What are we going to do,” Chloe slammed her hands on the table, excited to help.

Once again, Alya and Nino lifted their eyebrows. “Well, we should figure out why they’re hiding her,” Nino commented, shoving his cap back on his head.

“They could be training Marinette to enter the Tear again,” a fifth voice entered the conversation, surprising Nino and Chloe again.

“Luka! Dude. What I say about the sneaky steps?”

Luka smiled, “Not to do it during tense situations.”

“And?”

“I don’t listen to you,” Luka grinned.

“In any case, you,” Alya pointed to Nino, “listen to him,” she then pointed to Luka. “He is your second-in-command now that Felix is gone.”

“What makes you think that?” Adrien asked, bring Luka’s comment back to focus.

“She told me so.” All four sputtered and rushed forward to get closer to Luka, and the high elf took large steps back. “I want you guys to know that I can’t understand a single thing any of you are saying.”

“How?” Adrien pushed forward, resisting the urge to grab Luka by the collar, “How are you communicating with Marinette?”

“They made me her guard.”

“What?” Alya furrowed her eyebrows. “Her guard? Why does she need a guard?”

“She is a Guard,” Nino added in.

“Who made you her guard?” Chloe added cautiously, wanting to question Luka as well.

“How long have you been talking to Marinette and not told any of us! We’re her best friends and once upon a time love rival!” Alya snapped.

“Hey,” Chloe crossed her arms.

“Oh, and do not look at me like that. Your pretty boy looks don’t work on me.”

“Not anymore,” Luka joked. “I’ve been her guard for two weeks now.”

“Two weeks!” Alya screeched, “You seen her - seen us worry sick for two weeks and said nothing to us!?”

Luka lifted his hands, “I couldn’t just outright say it.” Luka looked around, “They’re watching me. I needed to wait for the right moment.”

“I cast a spell around us,” Nino waved his wand back and forth, “no need to whisper.”

Adrien stepped forward; watching Luka carefully and taking a large inhale of air. Her scent was nowhere on him. “Where is she?”

“I honestly don’t know.”

“I thought you said you were her guard,” Alya snarled. “How can you not know!?”

“She is being held in a Reflektec,” Luka stated.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a prison in the Mirror at the Queen’s Winter Palace,” Nino answered. “Dude, that place is an infinite maze for everyone but the owner.”

“Wait! They have her locked up? Like a criminal!?” Alya shrilled, “How dare they!? Did she not just save all of our asses two months ago? Did they forget about that? How she got injured for us? Or how she saved us again three weeks ago? Or how she basically led a team blind into the Tear with no real plan because the kingdom didn’t have a plan either besides researching akumas and defeating some, and she made it successful!? Yeah, she’s reckless and stupid, like someone I know!” She glared at Nino, “But who do they think they are?”

“They think they are the Queen, which they are,” Luka explained. “And the Queen is extremely…upset with Marinette because she broke procedurea,” Luka stated, running his hand through his hair.

“Procedures? What Procedures?” Chloe stepped in, wanting to yell at Luka, too.

“Let the man talk,” Nino reprimanded.

“Like you said,” Luka looked at the four of them, “we were sent to research and only eliminate akumas only when it was absolutely necessary. So, a month into the mission when we discovered Le Papillon, Marinette went rouge for four days.” Luka hissed a chuckle, “You should have seen Felix. He was going mad trying to find her.”

“Was that when she stole the Miraculous?” Adrien asked.

“Yeah, she watched Le Papillon long enough that she got a jest of his plan. It was on that jest she went in and stole the Miraculous right in front of him. So, from going rouge, interacting with Le Papillon, and leaving her team, the Queen had her locked up ‘for her protection.’ Her case is currently being reviewed.”

“They have her caged up. You know what cages do to us!” Chloe scowled.

“There’s nothing I can do,” Luka tried to reason, “If I try, I’ll either be charged with treason or executed.”

“How do you get to her?” Adrien leaned closer, paying close attention to the speed of Luka’s heartbeat. Alya did the same.

“When it’s my shift, the Mirror Keeper takes me to her.”

“Why does she need a guard?”

“Dude,” Nino looked over to Adrien, frowning, “Reflektec is the most isolated prison in the Realm. They probably have guards stationed there so….”

“So?” Alya scowled.

“She doesn’t…do anything harmful to herself.” Nino said carefully, “People go crazy there.”

“Then why is she in there!?” Alya screeched, “That’s a punishment too harsh for rescuing us!”

“I agree,” Luka said, putting his hands up, “I’m on your side. That is why I’m telling you guys now. She’s fading.”

“What do you mean?” Adrien growled.

“The whole ‘fae in the cage’ thing. I thought it was just a legend but it’s true.” Luka said quietly, “She’s getting dimmer in that prison. So, please, put your fangs away. I’m trying to help.”

“You can keep the ears though,” Nino grinned, waggling his eyebrows at the fox ears that popped out of Alya’s head. “Not you, Adrien.”

“When is your next shift?” Adrien’s ears twitched as he looked over his shoulder, smelling Plagg’s scent before hearing him.

“In twenty minutes, I need to give her the homework.”

“Homework?” Alya vibrated in irritation, “so she’s trapped, losing her energy, and has to do this crap, too?”

“She still is a Guard.”

“Can you pass a message?” Adrien pulled his piece of scrap paper from his notebook and quickly scribbled a message before folding it and handing it to Luka. “Please.”

“Not a problem,” Luka tucked the note between the pages of this week’s assignment when his alarm went off. “I have to head off. I’ll catch you guys later.”

“I expect a full report tomorrow!” Alya called after him, watching him pass through the classroom door quickly. “I don’t understand.”

“We don’t, but I think I know someone who does and can easily be bought with cheese,” Adrien smirked. “Nino?”

“I’ll be back in a second.” Nino opened the closet in the back and got his broom. “Coming, Foxy Lady?” Alya nodded and followed Nino to the balcony where the witches and wizards’ landing pad was stationed.

“What about me?” Chloe asked, “I can be nice and helpful, too.”

“Go ask Pollen about Marinette. She’s the one most likely to blab out of all of the Elders.”

Chloe buzzed, “Got it!”

Adrien left the classroom to search for his Elder, knowing that old werecat was most likely in his office. Passing through a stream of halls, he turned a corner and strode into Plagg’s office, fully aware that Tikki was there, too. Tikki looked over at him, her happy façade stoic for once. “Adrien,” she greeted, her voice empty. She went back to looking out the window for a few seconds before standing. “I think it’s time for me to leave.”

“Wait, Tikki,” Plagg’s hand twitched to reach Tikki’s. He glanced over to Adrien, “Now isn’t the best time, cub.”

“I need to talk to the Queen.”

“The Queen? I doubt she wants to hear a cub scolding her again.”

“It’s about Marinette.”

“She’s not going to tell you where Marinette is at.”

“That’s not why I want to talk to her.”

Tikki paused beside him, “What are you going to request?”

“What does the Queen know about the Miraculous?”

“Nothing,” Tikki answered, turning to the blond werecat. “Why?”

“Because, that’s how we’re going to get Marinette out of prison.” Adrien looked at the elders.

“You have my support,” a voice whispered and in a twinkle, Master Fu appeared in the middle of the room. Dusting his Hawaiian shirt, “I think I am getting too old for warp jumps.”

“Master Fu,” Tikki rushed to hug him, “Where have you been!? Marinette! She’s in trouble. The Queen sent her away and I don’t know where and –”

“I know,” Master Fu smiled, “that is why I returned from my trip sooner than scheduled.” Master Fu patted Adrien on the back, “Shall we request an audience?”

~o~o~o~o~

“Here’s the homework from today’s class.”

Marinette looked at the homework with a frown as it was slipped through the glass door. Then, underneath the ample notebook filled with Trixx’s lecture, notes, and homework was something pink.

Smiling, Marinette reached to grab the fashion magazine Luka snuck in for her. “What on Common Lands are you doing?”

“Trying to see if I can get a smile or two from you,” Luka stationed himself to the right of her cell, one hand on the handle of his sword as his shift official began.

“If you keep trying to make me smile, you’re going to end up in here with me.”

“That doesn’t sound too terrible, in my opinion.” Luka glanced back to her, “I personally know at least two others that would jump at the opportunity.”

“Only two?”

“Like I mentioned, that I know personally. I bet your slew of fanboys would love to be to be stuck with you in a tiny cell after the saving Royal City.”

“If only I felt the same,” Marinette flipped through the magazine, not noticing Luka’s soft gaze on her.

“Have you heard anything about your…predicament?”

“Have you?”

“No.”

“I’m going to be released soon,” Marinette said after a moment.

“You are? How soon?”

“Between twenty to thirty days,” Marinette looked up at him.

“Marinette…I-I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Marinette leaned back against the mirror wall of her cell, seeing her reflection frowning back at her. Her wings were molded on her body. She felt too weak to even peel them off her skin. “I’ll do it all over again if I had the chance.”

“Marinette.”

“And better, too.” She rubbed the spot above her heart where the Miraculous laid dormant. “Distract me. What happened in class today?” When Luka began to retell the lesson, Marinette shut her eyes to listen.

For the past three weeks, the only person that would talk to her - besides the Investigator and the Scientist that demanded answers on questions she pretended not to know - was Luka. During his two-hour shift, his constant streams of words calmed the anxiety she had from being stuck in a room where she was forced to acknowledge her reflection. Once the summary of today's class was over, they would talk about mundane things that happened in the Realm and Common Lands.

“He’s fine,” Luka said suddenly, seeing her hand stop from turning a page. His shift was almost over. “Adrien,” he clarified. “The infection hasn’t returned.” He looked forward, missing her blush.

“I’m relieved.”

“Hey.”

Marinette hummed, indicating she was listening as she completed another question from the homework.

“When you’re out of here…in twenty to thirty so days,” Luka snuck a look at her, “Would you still want to go on that forty-third date with me?”

Marinette blinked at him, surprised by his question, at the number, and even more so of her instinct to say no. “Forty-third?”

“Yeah,” he grinned, “I see you every day for two hours for the past twenty-two days, and including our first one, we’ve been on twenty-three dates and we'll be on twenty-ish more since you have twentry-ish days left here,” he reasoned. “So, what do you say?”

“I,” she began, not knowing how to think. Despite her mind berating and scolding her, Marinette’s feeling for Adrien still lingered. Confused and unsure about him, his feelings and actions, she had decided she was going to confront him after the event in the locker room. Her decision, celebrated and encouraged by Tikki, came to a halt when the royal guards came and incarcerated her. Since then she did one of the few things she was allowed to do, she started to think.

Sometimes her thoughts were on Adrien, remembering the first time his smile made her pause. How he made her forget tasks or projects she was working on with a clever pun or joke that had her laughing. Other times, they were on Felix. The manner his fists tightened whenever she told him about her not-so-safe plan and the slight curve of his lips when he thought about his mate. During the rising of the short-lived sun in this mirror dimension, she thought about the day she snuck into Le Papillon’s domain. During the darkest peak of the night, she panicked over the Tear, the akumas, and hoped the city was safe.

She wondered what was going to happen to her and the Miraculous inside of her.

Then, when she saw Luka during his daily shift, she pondered over him. He was her first crush but now, her elementary crush was gone and she was pinning for another that would never be hers. Luka was here, explicitly expressing his interest in her. She could fall out of love with Adrien and with him, right?

“Couffaine,” a voice interrupted them and Luka saw the next guard ambling his way toward them, “You’re relieved from your station.”

“Yes, Sir.” Luka placed his hand back down to his side, peeking at Marinette from the corner of his eye.

The new guard said nothing as he took Luka’s place, fitting his hand over the handle of his sword. However, this time, he actually stood where Luka was supposed to stand, far to the right that Marinette cannot see him and he cannot see her, mimicking isolation.

Marinette frowned, feeling lonely again.

She flipped another page of her homework and paused at a subtle note of sandalwood. She went to the end of the notebook and found a note hidden between the pages of academic journals. She unfolded the note carefully and smiled sadly at the content.

“ _I’ll be there soon, Buginette_.”

Again, he filled her with hope and confusion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all got really emotional about the last chapter and I'm sorry? 
> 
> I'm trying to finish MariChat May (that became not a one-shot series >.>) so I can focus on my giant monster of a story, Lune D' Or. Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	20. Purring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More plot! And some fluff at the end.
> 
> Thank you everyone for reading! Almost there. c:

"Repeat that once more.”

“There are more Miraculous Stones in the Tear,” Master Fu smiled.

“And,” The Queen with her cool red hair stared down at Adrien, “you are saying you can acquire them for me?”

“No.”

“No?”

“We will only acquire the Miraculous Stone of Destruction, the yang to the Miraculous Stone of Creation.”

The Queen scoffed lightly, “What do you want, then?”

“Release Marinette from her prison,” Adrien stated, his chin held high as he stood next to Master Fu.

“Prison? Oh,” she narrowed her eyes, “who told you that.”

“Does it matter your Majesty?”

The Queen narrowed her eyes, “For now. Tell me, how can I trust you not to do the same mistake as Chosen Dupain-Cheng did with the first Miraculous?”

“By not calling it a mistake,” Master Fu answered, “A Miraculous completes its existence by returning to its owner’s soul.” Master Fu stepped forward, “that is why I recommended to Marinette if she finds the stone to fuse it with her soul."

"It is your fault she has the Miraculous in her."

"She is the chosen one for the Miraculous of Creation.”

The Queen scowled, “and lose that awesome power?”

“No,” Master Fu corrected cordially, “the power now resides with its rightful owner. That is why Adrien needs to find the other half, the Miraculous of Destruction. His soul is its owner.”

“Other half? Oh,” the Queen smiled, “now I see why you have always been to hard-press about Chosen Dupain-Cheng, Chosen Agreste.”

“Then, we have a deal?” Plagg stepped forward, his hand slipping from Tikki’s back.

“I still have some reservations,” The Queen admitted, looking at Adrien. “I have been told stories of your accomplishments. You have a bright future.”

“Thank you,” Adrien crossed his arm over his abdominal, bowing lightly.

“A bright future,” The Queen repeated, “in the Common Lands. Years ago, I requested a place in my Guard for you.” She tilted her head, remembering the Chat Noir Alpha’s sharp glare. “Your Alpha denied my request.”

Adrien kept his expression train. He was not shocked his father made the choice for him, he was, after all, training to be the next Alpha of the Chat Noir pack. Alpha in training had no place in the Guards. “If I join the Guard, will you release Marinette?”

She was quiet for a moment, the proposal of his recruitment hanging between them. Until she finally spoke, “If you retrieve the Miraculous of Destruction I will release Chosen Dupain-Cheng. Do we have an accord?”

“Yes.”

“Your trip will commence immediately.”

“Immediately?” Plagg frowned. “When is immediate?”

“Right now.” The Queen answered, “Unless you would like to retract your answer. You still can, Chosen Agrestes.”

“Right now, it is,” Adrien answered despite Plagg series of coughs.

“The preparation will comm-”

The entrance door burst open. Alya ran in, her ears straightened on top of her head. “Treason!” She shouted and pointed behind, “The guards are-” An arrow of magic grazed Alya’s shoulder, impaling itself a meter from the Queen.

“The Queen!” A Royal Guard shouted, a flood of guards surround the Queen protecting her as a rouge guard with his helmet thrown off ran in, his wand aimed at Alya. However, before he could utter a syllable, a royal guard shot a fatal blast of magic through his chest.

“What is happening?!” The Queen snarled.

~o~o~o~o~

A loud bang startled her awake. The magazine Luka brought her hours ago lay limp in her hand as a guard marched up thirty minutes early. However, instead of relieving the current guard on post, he stopped in front of her cell and said: “Turn around, fold your wings and put your hands behind your back through the glass.”

Marinette perked an eyebrow.

The guard growled and slammed her glass wall with a heavy hand, “Stop wasting time, Sprite.”

Marinette stood with a frown and did as she was told, curious as the glass slipped over her hands. “Has there been a change?”

“Your review has been completed earlier than scheduled. You will meet with the Royal Physician.” The guard stated, spelling her wrist and palms together before lifting the glass up like water and blindfolded her. “Before being executed.”

Marinette paused, losing strength in her legs but the guards caught and straightened her. She barely registered the wash of magic overtaking her, causing her knees to buckle as she left the Mirror Prison and stepped foot inside the Queen’s Winter Palace. Her hands were pressed together tightly, and she needed space between her palms to conduct magic. She needed her vision to spell things. Without her vision and hands and wings, Marinette was useless.

She heard whispers as she was walked down a hall, felt the air shift and move as they parted to let them through. She felt weightless, her head swirling with thoughts.

“Set her here,” she heard a voice say and the guards sat her down on a chair, placing a chocker on her that sent a wave of nausea through her, shutting her aura down, not allowing her to sense magic.

“Marinette,” another voice rebounded around her, “I am here to state the reason for your execution.” The first voice touched her arm, feeling her pulse before scribbling something down. “Are you ready?” The second voice asked.

“Yes.” She answered.

“On the crimes of disobeying orders from her Royal Highness, abandoning your post, acquiring a weapon of mass destruction, and treachery against the Crown. You are pledged guilty in the eye of the Queen Fae Royal of the Summer Court of Royal City.”

“Her vitals are good,” the first voice stated.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng, daughter of human, Tom Dupain, and halfing, Sabine Cheng, Fae Chose of Tikki, Countess of Dots, Lead Guard of Section Seven,” the second voice went on, “you are hereby sentenced to execution through purification.”

Marinette jumped in her seat at the sound of a gavel hitting wood and she was forced to stand up again. Her feet heavy as she was led out of the room. Doors swung open and cool air stabbed her skin as she walked over snow, the delicate crush told her it was fresh snow.

How long has she been locked away again?

Shivering, she heard birds singing nearby and wondered if they thought this would be the last thing she hears before she died because it wouldn’t. Marinette inhaled as the guards released her after positioning her correctly on a platform. They did not remove her blindfold. She felt the whirlwind of magic concentrating in front of her. Snow touched her cheek; the flake melted at the heat of her skin as more fell on and around her. She formed her plan, thinking of ways to escape their clutches.

“I am so thankful,” a third voice came and the blind was ripped off Marinette’s head, “that they guarded you so poorly. It made this too easy. It’s quite disappointing actually. What? Nothing to say?”

“Well, I am disappointed, too, knowing that my enemy is not cunning enough to defeat me herself.”

The backhanded slap Le Paon gave her caused black dots to appear in Marinette’s vision, her right cheek enflamed with pain before Le Paon’s long fingers enclosed over her neck, lifting the Fae off the ground, “Not cunning enough? Oh, no, my dear, you must be confusing me with the sap, Le Papillon. After all, he was not the one that snuck into the Queen’s Palace. Not the one that persuaded guards to betray the Kingdom’s trusts with empty promises of riches and titles. Not the one that got you positioned for execution through purification that will grant me my oh-so-lovely Miraculous Stone of Creation that you stole. Not the one that will make this kingdom crumble.”

“Still not cunning enough,” Marinette grunted.

“I cannot wait to see your ashes,” she snarled and dropped Marinette to the ground, “Stand up.” Le Paon turned back to the ten guards waiting for her command. Le Paon pivoted on her heels, her hair slick against her scalp and curled under her chin. She lifted her hand up, “Ready the Parapure.” The guards struck the staff down onto the stand; the circle frame began to conduct light in the center.

Marinette inhaled sharply and pushed herself up, positioning herself back in place as the Parapure shined brightly from its center. She finally noticed how cold it was as she curled her toes. The thin dress she wore did nothing to protect her from the chill that swept through the execution ground, stirring the snow on the ground. Her heart was pounding as the Parapure turned towards her. A soft whistle came from the execution rod as the light got brighter and brighter.

Le Paon’s hand became a fist just as the large double door of the Palace raged open. Marinette heard her name as the Parapure fired its magic. The blinding magic shot straight towards her and Marinette conducted her magic towards her eyes and met the powerful blast with her own. The two magic collided, causing Marinette to be pushed back by the force. The magic that streamed through from the Parapure burned her skin.

How long was she going to last?

An explosion sounded in front of her and she was swiftly swept off her feet in a warm embrace. Momentarily blind, she relaxed when she was encased in sandalwood. “Adrien?” She whispered, her eyes ached to open after the optic blast of pink magic but she recognized his scent.

“Marinette!” Alya ran towards them, “Marinette! Are you okay?”

She was sent down on the ground, hearing commotion not too far away and the urge to fight took her but she was pushed down again. “Adrien,” she exclaimed and felt his head covered in warm fur nudging against hers, a rumble escaping his chest for a moment before he pulled away.

“You’re bleeding,” Alya stated, cupping Marinette’s cheek and wiped the stream of blood escaping from the corner of Marinette’s eyes. “Luka,” Alya stood up, growling as she began to walk towards the treasonous guards, “stay with her. I’m going to kick their asses.”

“Kick their asses, babe,” Nino said from the other side and Marinette wondered why they were all here.

“You’re going to kick their asses, too, Nino!”

“Come, on,” Luka scoped Marinette up.

“But-”

“He got his orders and so do I,” Chloe stated, satisfied that she shocked the Lead Chosen.

“Why are you-no, wait, from whom did you receive your orders!”

“Adrien.”

~o~o~o~o~

Marinette touched the bottom of her eyes, touching the sensitive skin with a frown. It has been a few hours since her ‘technical’ kidnapping and almost execution, and she expected her vision to get back by now. Luka dropped her off with another guard and she was shocked when she heard the Queen apologize for the inconvenience she was placed through.

Minutes later, Tikki came in and took her away to her office at Royal Hall. She could hear two guards outside the door and she felt the similar aching of isolation, but to a lesser degree now that she was back in the Realm. Slowly she was able to sense magic around her again, the tingling mana felt like mints on her skin. Nino, Alya, and, surprisingly, Chloe filtered through half an hour later to update her on what happened.

The three of them along with Adrien, Tikki, Plagg, Luka, and loyal royals guards captured, incarcerated or eliminated the traitors. Le Paon escaped, however. They wanted to talk more and catch up, but the Queen’s Royal Investigator summoned Nino and Alya, and Marinette was left alone again. She curled her toes inside the slippers Tikki left for her. She sat in front of the fireplace after speaking with her parents, promising to visit as soon as she was able to.

They were angry and wanted her to leave the Guard, leave her life in politics behind. Leave Royal City and come home. But she couldn’t return to a normal human life again. Not now. She always felt there was more inside of her striving to escape and thrive, and when she found that in the shape of her wings, she left the mundane human life behind her and did not want to look back.

She was being selfish. Frowning, she pulled her finger, deciding she will see her parents as soon as she can. Another hour passed and her vision was now blurry, but she could make out shapes and color.

The door creaked opened and Marinette identified Adrien’s presence with his scent before he announced himself. “Marinette,” his voice was small and she had the urge to reach out to him. In fact, the urge was so great and grew inside of her for so long that she did not realize that she opened her arms to him.

He embraced her warmly, burying his head in her shoulder and she did the same, holding on to him as if her life depended on it. She fought off the tears of relief that wanted to escape as she dug herself closer to his side, molded herself onto him and she hoped she can make a space for herself next to him. He pressed his lips to her head, buried his hand in her hand as his chest rumbled.

Chuckling, she held back her questioning gaze and accepted the comfortable purr emitting from him. She missed him so desperately. The embrace ended far too quickly in her opinion and it must have shown on her face because he chuckled lightly at her pout. "Mari-" she shyly pressed her lips against his, her fingers curled around this cheek. His purring vibrated her and she felt his smile through their kiss. Pulling away from her lips, Adrien smiled at the red underneath her freckled cheeks. “I’ll come back to you,” Adrien said, pressing another kiss to her forehead and her lips, short and soft and profound. 

What?

Standing up, she held onto him as long as she could, her hands slipping down to his and lingered until his fingers slid off hers. Her vision was fuzzy but she could make out his retreating form as it left the room.

She sat there in a haze, “Come back.” 


	21. Baton

He looked down at his baton, his fingers hovering over the keyboard when a whine broke his revere.

“I don’t understand why I need to come with you.”

“It’s been five days and you’re still complaining.”

“I’m stating facts.”

“I told you to stay.”

“And have Tikki judge me the whole time you’re gone?” Plagg snapped at his Chosen, “I prefer not to be on her bad side.” The desert breeze made him sneeze, “It’s too hot.”

“How are you a respected Elder?” Adrien asked. They were trudging down the sand dune with their destination a quarter of a kilometer away, although the map on his baton stated there was nothing there.

“Beats me,” Plagg grunted, “All I wanted to do in life was sleep, eat cheese, and drink wine.”

“What happened to that ambitious plan?”

“Tikki,” Plagg answered honestly, “You can’t be idle when you’re mate is a bouncing ball of pent-up energy.” Adrien paused and looked back to Plagg. “What?”

Adrien studied his Elder for another few seconds and shrugged his shoulder, “nothing.”

“There was something.”

“Was.”

“Why did I agree to this?”

Adrien huffed and went on, wanting to complete the mission of finding the Miraculous Stone of Destruction and return to Marinette. The tender kiss they shared burned him pleasantly, filling him with lingering joy and hopeful sighs. Five days ago, in that short minute he had to say goodbye to her before starting this mission, he, as always, overthought his confession.

He didn’t want to tell her she was his mate and then disappeared. No, he wanted to tell her and stay with her for longer than thirty seconds. He wanted to sink into her embrace, roll in the bliss and happiness in being with her. This was, after all, the year she was going to find out she was his mate according to his future wife, also known as Future Marinette, which meant years of dreaming, daydreaming, and fantasying would finally become a reality.

“Enough with the sentiment, cub,” Plagg looked over to his Chosen with an unimpressed gaze, “we get it. You’re in love. Now, put your musk away. We’re here.” The ruins had three stone dogs, one of them decapitated, guarding the entrance of the ancient temple. Plagg took a large inhale, tracing no scent other than Adrien’s sentimental yearning for Marinette.

Adrien’s cheeks were still slightly red from Plagg’s comment as he passed through the stone gates first, “how long do you think this has been here?”

“Hell if I know,” Plagg stated. “I’m more curious to know who were the crazy bastards that decided to build a temple in the Tear. It’s not a prime location.”

“Should we take anything back for Master Fu?”

“No,” Plagg took the lead, entering the temple ground furthermore. Intricate symbols and shapes were smoothed over by the harsh desert winds. The temple must have been a vibrant color at one point since the walls were a dingy pink. “Let the Old Man take a gander himself. We’re just here for that Miraculous Stone.”

“Marinette…was her Miraculous Stone also hid away in a temple?

“I would assume so. According to Master Fu, when a Miraculous User dies, its stone finds its way back to its temple.”

“Le Peon, did she know that?”

“Doubt it. If she did, then she’s an awful strategist,” Plagg snorted. “Le Papillon most likely heard about the powers of the Miraculous Stones and sought them himself. Marinette must have been in the right place at the right time to overhear his plan and steal it from him. Ah, there’s the opening,” Plagg gestured towards the curved entry of the temple that was as big as a shed. There was a staircase leading down.

“Do you know a lot about the Miraculous?” Adrien asked.

“No, I mostly slept through Master Fu’s lectures on it,” Plagg smiled at Adrien’s pout. “What? Those lectures were for Wayzz, I just happened to be there to overhear them.”

“So, you won’t know why Le Peon or Le Papillon wants them.”

“I’ve been told that with the Miraculous Stone of Creation and Destruction, a wish can be granted.” Plagg looked back out to the terrain, “I swear, I hope their wishes aren’t cliché bullshit about power.”

Adrien perked an eyebrow, “you’re in a bitter mood today.”

“I haven’t gone through this long of a separation from Tikki in a while. So, yes, kind of bitter,” Plagg ventured in with Adrien next to him.

Their eyes quickly adjusted to the change of light, both being able to see in the dark as they descended down to the inner chamber of the temple. There was no sound except for the howl of the wind tunneling through. Unlit torches littered the walls evenly and fallen stone bricks were scattered over the path.

A thud was heard above them. “An akuma,” Adrien stated after a deep inhale. “Weak.” He pulled his baton out, smiling briefly at the photo of Marinette he had before opening the map of the Tear.

Plagg trudged along, “we’ll deal with it later.”

Relying on their acute hearing and smell, they both wandered further down into the halls until a grand opening emerged for them. There in the center, on a pedestal shined a smooth rock, black like fresh coal. Adrien looked around, confused and apprehensive because it shouldn’t be easy. Should it?

Adrien hesitated to grab the stone from its place but when he did, nothing stirred. The stone was, in his opinion, “extremely underwhelming.”

“What were you expecting? A jewel?”

“Kind of,” Adrien chuckled. The Miraculous felt like a smoothed cold pebble. “Well, we got it. Let’s get out of here.” A chime came from his baton and he looked down, seeing a message from Marinette. His heart thundered. She should not be able to send him messages from the Realm. Plagg perked an eyebrow but Adrien ignored him. He opened the message and blushed when he felt a shiver run down his spine.

“Be there soon, Chaton.”

There was an explosion from outside that shook the ground beneath them. They both paused and listened; another explosion shook the ground followed by a crazed giggle.

Plagg paled, recognizing that sound anywhere. “Tikki!”

Plagg and Adrien ran out of the temple, bursting out of the entrance to the brightly lit surface where Tikki stood, she had a smug smile and her fingers tapped her hips. “Where you go. I go.”

“Damn it, Tikki.” A large akuma rose from the sand behind her, Plagg barely cried out her name when a whistle seeped through the area.

Adrien smelt Marinette before he saw the ball of pink. Her feet made indentures on the akuma’s face, sending the green akuma back several meters before she somersaulted away, landing with a precise thud before turning around to meet his gaze. The bright smile that blossomed on her face caused his heart to putter. “Adrien!” She exclaimed in excitement and he ran to her. Embracing her tightly as he shut his eyes and took another greedy breath of her. His face buried in the juncture of her neck and he heard the steady beat of her heart.

“The miraculous,” a voice haunted, Marinette and Adrien pulled apart surprised to see Le Papillon formed from cloths of shadows. “Give them to me.”

“You!” Adrien growled, pushing the Miraculous to his chest and jolted when he felt a slight vibration of power filter through him. He absorbed the Miraculous. Shit.

“I’ll help you,” Marinette stated, causing him to snap out of his panic. His hair rose and visibly bristled at her declaration but stilled when he felt Marinette’s grip on his forearm. “Only if you share your identity with us.”

Tikki gasped sharply, “Marinette! Do you not know who and what this man did to us? To you?”

“Yes?” Marinette ignored her elder.

The older man frowned and reached up to his mask; grabbing the edge, he tore it off. They all stood there shocked but it was Adrien who spoke first, “Father?”

“I can explain,” He barely finished when Adrien punched him in the jaw.

“What have you done!” Adrien yelled. “What are you doing?!” Marinette dragged Adrien back to her side where he curled over her protectively. “You…you went after Marinette. You sent akumas into the Realm.” His eyebrows furrowed and he blurted out once more, “You went after Marinette!”

“I have an explan-”

Plagg huffed as he shook his hand to elevate the tingle of pain left behind after he landed a hit on Gabriel’s left jaw. “I wanted to even out your bruises,” Plagg snarled before he gripped Gabriel by his collar. “What on earth are you doing, cub!?”

“Cub?” Gabriel growled out, ripping himself free. “You will address me as Alpha of the Noir Pack, Plagg.”

“I am your Elder! I will address you as I like,” Plagg snarled.

“Let him answer,” Tikki’s voice smoothed over the eldest werecats, but her eyes were sharp. “I want to know why he attacked my Chosen.”

“My intention was to never harm, Marinette.” Gabriel stated, nursing his cheek after Tikki punched him, too. He noticed Marinette’s strong grasp on Adrien’s sleeve and sighed, this was not what he wanted. “I merely needed the Miraculous Stone she had absorbed.”

“And your solution was to ‘merely’ send akumas after her? Infect her?” Tikki snapped, “I almost lost her because of you!” Plagg held Tikki back by her shoulders as she tried to kick Gabriel. “Don’t you dare say you ‘merely’ needed the Miraculous Stone. A wart’s hog will I allowed-”

“Tikki,” Plagg drew her back.

“What!?” She huffed and crossed her arms glaring at Gabriel.

“I know,” Gabriel growled, glancing at Adrien with a guilty expression. “I know. I am sorry.”

“I forgive you,” Marinette said after a moment. Adrien tensed underneath her palm again. “And I believe you.”

“Marinette,” Adrien pulled her to look at him and for the first time, she saw the scar on his cheek. The same one his future-self had.

“How’s your Luna?” She asked, glancing back to Gabriel. “Madame Veronica…how is she?”

Adrien jerked at the mention of his mother and made the connections between his father’s comments and Marinette’s. “Mother,” He took a step forward. “What have you done to her?”

“I am trying to save her, cub!” Gabriel hissed, offended that Adrien would even think that he would harm Veronica.

“Where is she now?” Marinette touched her chest, the magic of the Miraculous Stone laid heavily there.

“I do not know. She disappeared,” Gabriel stated.

“She’s in Tibet,” Adrien said, feeling light-headed. He opened his baton and attempted to dial his mother. “She’s been…Father?”

“She found the Miraculous Stone of Illusion and mentioned dark magic. That was the last I spoke with her.”

“Le Peon…she is your mate?” Marinette asked softly, remembering his expression the last time they faced each. “Le Peon is Madame Veronica, correct?”

~o~o~o~o~

Night fell quickly. Wind blew steadily, rocking the two separated tents they set up softly. Tikki and Plagg stayed in one and across the campsite Adrien, who was wide-awake researching information on the Miraculous on his baton, lay next to Marinette with half a meter of distance between them. His thoughts swarmed over what his father admitted to them, unsure how to react or even answer the crimes his father has committed.

The previous owner of the Miraculous Stone of Illusion cast a curse on the Stone that his mother found during her trip to Tibet, and caused her to become Le Peon. His father was trying to save her through collecting the Miraculous Stone of Creation and Destruction, using the combined power to eliminate the curse on her soul. However, since the Stones were in his and Marinette’s souls, that was going to prove some difficulties.

Tikki mentioned training from Master Fu to help them to harness the power of the Miraculous Stones, saving his mother from her curse but he smelt hesitation on her. He was unsure but Marinette agreed right away, fearless at the uncertainty as always and promising his father to get his mother back.

Adrien wanted to ask more questions he needed answers to but his father disappeared again. Tikki said his father was a holder for the Miraculous Stone of Dreams. They were going to tell Master Fu once they were back in Royal City, perhaps he will have an idea.

Marinette’s soft inhale caught his attention. He turned to his side and watched as she drowsily blinked, her nose twitching right above the four layers of blankets she tucked herself under. She whimpered at being awake before yawning in her blankets. “You’re still awake?” She asked, shutting her eyes. “Adrien?”

“Yeah,” he answered, smiling at the slight nod she made. “Can’t sleep.”

“Try,” she opened her eyes, accusing him of not even attempting to shut his eyes for more than a millisecond, there was even a slight dimple on her cheek flashing at him accusingly. “Your thoughts are not going any where.”

“I’m worried,” he admitted. “About my mother. About you,” he wanted to reach out to her, tuck the strands of hair on her cheek behind her ear. “You shouldn’t be here. Why are you even here?”

“I was worried about you,” Marinette smiled at him. Another howl of the wind swayed the tent. Marinette shivered from the cold and squirmed underneath her blankets, glaring at Adrien who only needed one sheet due to the amount of body heat he created for simply being a werecat. “It took two days for my eyes to heal completely, but once I got the okay from the physician, Tikki and I set off to find you.”

“You found us in three days?” He looked at his map on his baton, almost not believing it.

“It’s easier to find two werecats in the Tear compared to an unknown temple,” Marinette shut her eyes, her words soft with sleep. She was still soft and weak from her time in the Reflektec, he could tell.

“Marinette?”

“Hm?”

“Nothing,” he said after a moment, a sense of longing and loneliness amplified in him. So many things he wanted to say but not a single word could express what he felt.

He heard a soft huff before seeing her sit right up. He instantly blushed when she made her way into his sleeping bag and yelp at her cold feet brushing his skin. “Ma-Marinette?”

“You need comfort,” she declared, lying on her back she pressed his head against her chest. She grabbed and set his baton to the side. “Everything is going to be alright. I promise.” Her lips brushed against the top of his head, “I’m going to bring your mom back and save your father’s reputation. I’ll take of you, Chaton.”

“Marinette.”

“Or, do you not trust me?”

Despite the red glowing from his cheeks, “I do.” Adrien relaxed and held her close to him, his warm hand pressing against the skin of her side – her long button-up shirt rode up when she got into his bed. She ran her fingers through his hair; the steady beat of her heart luring him to sleep faster than he thought.

“You’re warm,” was the last words he heard before he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If it makes you guys feel better, Adrien finally confesses in chapter 23.


	22. Balcony Visit (Rated E)

“Is something wrong?”

“It smells…sweeter?” Marinette answered after taking another deep breath.

“Like spring?” Tikki offered, her anger toward Marinette was momentarily set aside unless something reminded her of her Chosen running to the Tear twice without any concern for her well-being. She already spent all day yesterday blue in the face scolding her Chosen for the fifth time and had to take three cups of Feather Water to get rid the migraine it gave her. “Maybe the flowers are the reason you’re so distracted.”

“Hm, maybe,” Marinette mumbled, plucking a pink flower from the vines climbing up next to Tikki’s office window. “It does smell sweeter. Is this part of the maturity thing you were talking about?”

“Yes,” Tikki smiled, shutting her book. The crystal of her lamps shimmered across her hands and oak desk. “You’ve reached full maturity as a Fae now. Can’t you tell?”

“I think so?”

She recently turned nineteen a week ago and so much seemed to establish within her in that week. She could hear the season’s song in the flowers, breeze, and ribbons of sunlight lying across her. Her magic felt stronger, stable and controllable compared to the past – she assumed that was due to her being able to access the power of the Miraculous Stone of Creation that melded into her soul. Her wings also doubled in size and were steadier and swifter in flight.

Despite all of the good things that had happened, she still was bitter over the fact that she was basically in a high fertility stage. Pollen explained it as “what was a five-day long and once a month stage of your natural ovulation as a human is now charged up with steroids for each spring to make loads of fae babies until you’re old and dead!”

Chloe laughed at her until Pollen stated that the blond pixie went through a similar phase last year.

That time, Marinette laughed at Chloe.

Her natural scent, as Tikki described it, would be more “enticing and desirable” to men and akumas alike. Marinette paled at both parts but she thought Tikki was joking until she walked out today and noticed the thick stares on her. That and her own quivering heat that swirled at the pit of her abdomen and made her extremely needy. Her thoughts were getting more lewd than normal and, of course, the main focal point of all of her needs was centered on a werecat named Adrien who could probably smell the thick want on her.

How frustrating and embarrassing.

She wondered if she should avoid him the rest of the season until her heat wore off without giving him the wrong idea. She doesn’t want to offend him. Or would he be flattered?

His mate wouldn’t, she scoffed.

She twirled the flower between her fingers before releasing it to the breeze. Watching it dance away to the river below. She hasn’t seen him since they had returned from the Tear last week. Immediately crossing over, Adrien and Plagg needed to speak with the Queen and explain how Adrien accidentally absorbed the Miraculous Stone of Destruction. Marinette lowered her eyes, sulking as she continued to replay that day over in her head like a malfunctioning video.

 _“You’re Marinette Dupain-Cheng, right?_ ” She remembered Kagami’s words as if prodigy fencer spoken them seconds ago. Marinette remembered how she turned away from the doorway Adrien entered to speak with the Queen to met Kagami’s gaze. The red pantsuit she wore was well fitted, her hair curled under her chin and her eyes were playful and bright.

Red Spider Lilies.

Kagami reminded her of Red Spider Lilies: elegant and tall and stunning.

She answered Kagami but she doesn’t remember what she said. She simply saw Kagami's slight smile, knowing and lively. “ _Adrien speaks fondly of you. I would like to get to know you better_ - _a later date, perhaps_.” Again, Marinette does not remember what she said as Kagami ran her hand through her hair and looked over Marinette’s shoulder. “ _I need to speak with him. He went through those doors, correct?_ ” She must have said yes because Kagami smiled coyly and walked around Marinette. “ _It was wonderful to finally meet you. I hope you can make it to my wedding_.”

After that moment, Tikki entered the main hall and fumbled over her and the droplets of tears that escaped her. She was escorted out of Royal Hall by Tikki and taken home to cry on her mother’s lap for the rest of the evening.

What and why was she doing this? She kissed him in his locker that was next to Kagami’s and climbed into his bed in the Tear. Not only was she embarrassed. She was ashamed that she loved him and wanted to confess to him. She was angry, too, that she kept misinterpreting his words, touches, and small gestures.

What was she going to do? She doesn’t want to avoid him. She liked him too much. She longed for their relationship prior to her developing feelings for him. She longed for the days when they used to patrol together and went out to eat. She missed talking to him, missed sitting next to him in silence as they both worked on their own projects but in each others’ company.

Could she avoid him until spring was over?

It would be easy in the Realm since he did not live here. However, she needed to go home to Paris because her father’s birthday was this week. She doubted she was not going to cross his path and if she does she would dig her own grave and lie in it to die until her shame suffocated her or her love for him vanished.

One has to give.

Right?

~o~o~o~o~

“It’s known as Flora Day, why not send her flowers?” Nino asked, stuffing his face with another bite of almond croissant.

“Because he sends her oblivious-butt flowers almost every other week,” Alya answered. “Without a note expressing why. She probably thinks it’s because you’re friendly.”

“I sent her flowers on her birthday last week. Also, it can’t be that simple and…friendly. Maybe I should have included my love messages?” Adrien wondered, the top of his cheeks turning pink faintly at Alya’s frown.

“Yeah, you should have.”

“Jewels,” Chloe stated, worming her way into the conversation and their lives. Adrien didn’t mind. Alya and Nino were hesitated but were slowly adapting to Chloe’s affectionate insults. “Everyone loves jewels except Alya.”

“Everyone likes manners except Chloe.”

“What did you say, fox?” Chloe asked with a sneered.

“The truth, buzz brain.” Alya shot back with her own sneer.

“It’s also the Date of Confession and I want to…confess,” Adrien went on, pondering out loud, remembering the way she hugged him during their last night in the Tear, their bodies pressed close together in his tiny cot – a cot that he used to complain was too small but now it was nothing but perfect for him.

He hadn’t had the time to go see her after his conversation with the Queen. Meetings we set up for him immediately afterward to discuss the Miraculous Stone of Destruction inside of him and start training to control and harness this new power. He was also temporarily the new Alpha of the Chat Noir pack after his father’s sudden disappearance – no one knew his father was Le Papllion – and Plagg has been guiding him through that transition.

“Should I send her a bear?” Adrien continued, “Cat-bear?”

“No, because you’ll send her a nine-foot one because I know you,” Alya injected. “Make her something. She likes handmade things.”

“Yeah, she still has a cup I made for her when we were four,” Nino said.

“But it has to be special. I’m going to tell her.” Adrien frowned.

“Wait,” Alya held her hand up in a mock surprise, “Hold up. You’re going to confess? Why I thought I gave you an opportune moment to do that, did I not?”

“You did.”

“And what happened?”

“I got distracted.”

“Because you kissed her.”

“Worth it, though.”

“Oh, yes. But nothing happened because someone called Nino the “ruiner of moods” had to have bad-timing.”

“I already apologized for that!” Nino groaned. “Daddy’s sorry.”

“Please stop calling yourself that.” Adrien sighed.

“Now, Adrien. Be nice to mommy and daddy.” Alya chastised and Adrien groaned. “Even though daddy deserves to be hit on the head with a brick,” Alya scowled but exhaled loudly, “But, really, why do I even bother.”

“Because you’re a hopeless romantic at heart,” Nino grinned, swinging his arm around her.

“You guys are disgusting,” Chloe chimed in, poking at her salad and wished she got Alya’s plate of sushi instead.

“Did Marinette tell you what time she was crossing over?” Adrien asked.

Alya smiled at Adrien, “Hm. Well, she told me not to tell anyone but, hey,” she looked over at Nino, “you’re not anyone.”

“I’m not,” Nino grinned, “I’m your boyfriend.”

“Yes, you are! And did you know that Marinette is currently at home while her parents are off shopping for supplies for the bakery?”

“Thanks, Alya,” Adrien got up and grabbed his jacket, leaving Euros for his meal before leaving the café. Although he knew he shouldn’t feel nervous or panicked, he still ran to her home. Curving a corner, the bakery was closed but saw her silhouette upstairs. He was prepared to call her and asked to come in when a gust of the sweetest wind passed him. He followed it hungrily until he met Marinette’s figure watering the plants on her balcony.

Heat.

She was in heat.

Mon dieu, she was in heat.

His muscles jolted and twitched, and before he could stop himself, he changed into a black cat, leaving his clothing in the alleyway. In a trance, he jumped onto a dumpster to propel himself up the fire escape railway and climb it all the way up. He landed on her balcony railing and yowled, startling her. Besides her face heating up, so did the coiling pheromone in her scent.

It was making him cross-eyed.

“A-Adrien?” She asked carefully, wondering how he knew she was here but she could only suspect Alya told him. Or Tikki. “What are you doing here?”

Adrien chirped and jumped down to the floor. When he began to morph back into a man Marinette paled and gave a small yelp before throwing her blanket on him, ignoring the crash of her book on the ground and the toppling of her tea on the small table.

“Sweet,” he said thickly, looking at her. “You smell sweet.”

“W-what?” Marinette stood up and took a few steps backward until her back hit the railing harshly, causing her to lose balance but Adrien steadied her. She blushed hotly, staring intently at his eyes and willed herself not to look down because he lost her blanket and was completely naked.

“Adrien,” she chastised, attempting to look serious but the red dusting on her cheeks prevented that. “We’re outside and you’re naked.”

He reached out to touch her chest but stopped, hesitate. “Marin-hey!”

“Did you not hear me? You’re naked and outside! Now, back, you alley cat!” She sprayed him with water, cheeks redder as she saw him in his full glory. She pivoted with a huff, “What are you doing?”

“You’re in heat.”

“Don’t say it so causally!” Marinette sprayed him more and threw her blanket on him again. Looking away, she pressed her cold hand to her cheek hoping it would cool the reddening.

“It’s true, though.” Adrien laughed deeply, watching her intently pace back and forth. His tail whipped back and forth behind him, matching her pace as he took another deep breath.

“Stop...taking deep breathes of it!”

“I can’t help it,” Her scent was making his mind fogging, his mouth water and his cock flow with blood. “You just have me yowling, Princess.”

She sprayed him again.

“Enough,” she pulled him up, holding her blanket around his waist as she pushed him to her railing.

“But we need to talk.”

“We will after this is over and you can think clearly without my heat affecting you. Now, go before you do something you’ll regret,” she shooed him.

“I doubt I’ll regret what I want to do to you,” he grinned, turning to capture her hand that was pushing him. “I want to be here with you.”

“W-what?”

“And you want me here, too.”

“What!?” She sputtered.

“I can smell it.”

“S-smell what?”

“Your heat.”

“It’s spring!” She protested.

“You’re going to be like this the entirety of spring?” He groaned but didn’t seem to be displeased, which concerned her.

“Y-yes, I can’t help it,” she stated, trying to stay clear minded since he was not. “It’s part of my…nature.”

“What’s your excuse for your want then?”

“My want?”

Adrien pulled her close, dipping his head down to breath the scent above her neck. “Underneath you heat, I can smell that you want me,” his chest rumbled as he nuzzled her, “I wonder what I’ll have to do to make you purr, purrincess. What do you want from me?”

She put her hands on his chest with the intention to push him away but her fingers spread over the heated skin, degrees hotter than her cold fingers. Her mind was screaming at what she did next. She wondered if it was the season, if it was him, or if it was simply her wanting to be touched by him. She did not know. What she did know was when she slid his hand to spread between her breasts, she felt warmer. Her scent became stronger and called to him, veiling him as he leaned down but, again, he hesitated.

She was in heat.

Would she normally allow him to be this close to her?

She kissed him before he moved away. It was a soft kiss, making her gasp softly and he was weak to her. Adrien took the opportunity to dive into her. Pushing back until her knees buckled and they were sent to the floor. The tumble only made him smile and he goes to kiss her again when a scream penetrated the air.

Adrien scowled.

Marinette’s phone chimed. “Thank dieu, it’s an akuma,” she stated, mind clearing as she pushed him away, completely focused on her phone that she forget she had a naked one hundred and eighty-eight centimeter man on her balcony.

“Thank dieu?” Adrien whined but got up, “Leave it. I’ll go. You’re still weak from before,” He said carefully, the memories of her almost being executed and then arriving in the Tear to help him were raw. As happy as he was to see her, he still expressed his worry to her as they were setting up their tents.

She apologized and her admission that she was worried about him softened his irritation.

Only a little bit.

He was, after all, sentimental over her and craved her attention.

Words of protest were on the tip of her tongue but she swallowed it. She sighed, “I know but it doesn’t feel right not doing anything. Even if I’m not at complete health, I can still help.”

“Marinette. Nino, Alya or me will take care of it.”

“It’s at the Louvre,” she said and looked at him over her shoulder. Her wings unfolded, trembling from the fatigue she still felt and from the core desire to remain by his side, to continue to be touched and stroke by his hand. “Let’s go?” she berated herself and flew up.

“Let’s go,” Adrien nodded and morphed into a large cat.

Arriving at the museum, they dove down to the main lobby, through the shattered glass panel of the pyramid. There were dozens of large black bubbles floating in the air, faint and muffled shouts came from the inside. Marinette nipped one of the bubbles and was startled when three adults feel free. She caught one while Adrien caught the other two.

“What’s going on?”

“The akuma,” the woman rushed out, “It’s capturing people and keeping them in these bubbles.”

“I think it’s harvesting us,” the other woman cried out.

“Okay, get to safety then. Avoid this area at all cost.” Marinette pointed to the entrance and pushed them towards it. “Chatton,” she paused at the intensity of his eyes, “w-we have to release everyone.”

Adrien nodded and did as she requested. Together, they released everyone that was in the lobby trapped in the dark bubbles. Learning that while they could not see inside the bubble, the victims could see the outwards. They made their way through the museum, freeing visitors they come across as they traveled through the European section.

Bursting through large double doors, they came face-to-face with the akuma. The crawling amphibian hissed at them and Marinette paled. She had a reasonable and strong dislike towards lizards and now, here was the pinnacle of her fear. It was Adrien’s large body pressing against hers that caused her to move.

Together, they moved in unison as they avoided attacks and popped the three large bubbles in the room. While Adrien distracted the akuma, Marinette directed the victims towards the exit. The akuma slithered close to her and the movement caused anxiety to spike in Marinette. Adrien smelt her nerves in the air and ran to her as the akuma attacked, capturing both of them in the bubble. They floated up in the air, Marinette scowling as the akuma slithered out of the room towards Egyptian.

“Damn it,” she groaned and pushed at the wall around them. It would not break or tear, and neither her weapon nor Adrien’s claw could destroy the bubble from the inside. After a minute of struggling, she sighed and sent a message to Nino. “We’re trapped,” she stated, continuing to push the wall in hopes that it will break.

It did not.

Marinette wiggled to get into a comfortable position, unsure how long they will be trapped. It was in that moment she noticed she was lying on top of Adrien. She blushed and tried to pay no heed to her position and the intimate proximately they were in until she felt his head nuzzle the side of her neck. The panic of being captured fled her and was replaced by the similar emotions she felt earlier.

“Adrien?”

“I’m sorry,” his rough voice drilled into her soul, the warm air brushing against her collarbone, causing heat to fill her. “You…your scent. It’s too tempting.”

“It-it’s fine.” She strained to control her reaction from him being so close. Strained to not comprehend and imagine what it would be like if his lips were on her skin, his hands on her waist. She tried until he morphed back to a human man, and she now had more room to spread her knees.

_He has a mate._

She was on him like pliable blanket. She was sure that was how she looked to him. His breath was even closer to her cheek and his hand steadied her. She was positive that he could smell her hunger. She could even smell her desire.

_Kagami was his mate._

The air in the bubble was getting thicker, her scent was getting stronger again and the musk she smelt must be him reacting to her. It was aromatic like sandalwood, intoxicating her senses to the point she had to lean against his head, touch her cheek with his. Her blood was pumping and she was trembling from what she assumed was desire. The need to be covered by his scent and claimed by him.

_Your love will not be returned._

She closed her eyes when his fingers gripped her waist. “Adrien.”

“We…need to find a way out.”

“Adrien,” she called again, her tone supple.

Don’t do it.

Adrien was hyperaware in the manner she was slowly and pain agonizing spread her thighs open. He memorized the feeling of her thighs around his hips. He memorized her hypnotic and mouthwatering sweet scent saturated with her heat and arousal.

If he was dead and this was heaven’s door – or even hell’s – he was certain he was prepared to charge through. His fingers itched and twitched, eager to touch and map out the curves and texture of her body. He saw the small jerk she made when he moved to try to get them into a more appropriate position.

Her scent drenching the bubble even more. She was causing his cock to harden and press against her. Did she notice? Was she repulsed? Or, was she hoping he would slide into her carefully, envelope and knot her as a sign of bonded mates?

“Adrien.”

The soft manner she said his name was stripping at his restraint. He whipped his mouth from the drool that was escaping. How embarrassing to be salivating but she smelt so good and he was starving. He had to remain strong. He could not touch her, not like this without her consent despite how desperately her scent was calling to him because it was her heat. As his mate, her scent called to him the loudest.

But he won’t slip up again like he did on the balcony. He was strong and in control.

“Y-eah?” He responded thickly, looking anywhere to find a way they could escape.

Then, in a quiet and flustered voice, delicate and desperate, she demanded, “Kiss me.”

Maybe he wasn’t that strong.

“Kiss you?” He snapped his gaze to her lips and stopped his hand from crawling up to the base of her head.

“Yes.”

Adrien shook his head, “You’re in heat.”

“Please.”

“It’s the heat talking.”

She was desperate and wanted him. Her reasoning still lingered, lecturing her that this was not the time, place, or right person to ask for this. He had a mate that was not her. He had someone else that was the love of his life and it was not her. Yet, she can’t think straight. She has been antsy all year and now that this started, it was only when she saw him, smelled his scent that she felt at ease.

Now, everything was building in her. Not wanting to imagine anymore how his fingers would feel on her skin, his lips on her body, his tongue swiping and exploring over her nude form until she arched. She wanted to feel his length in her, wondering if she would feel satisfied and completed.

Loved?

“But, it doesn’t change what I feel, right? It only amplifies what I want …right?” Her lips brushing his cheek and she wondered why she was still talking. “I want you.”

“You…want me?” He asked thickly, biting his lips when she pressed a kiss to the corner of his right eye.

“I love you.”

He leaned up, his lips gliding over hers for a second before he pulled her down to him, and kissed her the way she wanted. A yearning linger behind, one that pushed them to morph the kiss from a chastise bonbon to a frenzy of melting chocolate.

When she pushed, he pulled.

When he tugged, she shoved.

Adrien jerked back and moaned when she ground on him, her thin and soaked panties burning his naked cock. Gulping, he carefully stationed his hands on her hips and encouraged her to move over him, catching her pants with his mouth. He restrained himself from claiming her. The thought salivating from his mouth and repeatedly told himself to enjoy and watch her, watch as her eyes slid shut, lashes fluttered and lips, red from biting, gasped his name.

Then, in one second, they were trapped in the bubble and in the second they were falling down to the ground. Adrien cushioned her fall and twisted them over so she was underneath him. She blinked up at him and jolted at the sharp gasp to the right of them.

Alya swiftly turned around at the thick hormones penetrating the room. “Yo! Oh, wow! My bad. Um. What’s that over there, Nino?”

“What? That statue? Who cares? I thought you said you found Mari and Adrien.” Nino answered, walking towards the doorway.

“I did, but they need a moment to collect themselves.”

“A moment?”

“Yes. Alone, maybe two,” Alya hissed and shut the door again.

Adrien huffed in amusement once they left and looked down, chuckling at Marinette who covered her face with both of her hands in embarrassment. “Marinette?” he nuzzled the side of her cheek, grinning at the shake of her head. “How are you feeling?”

She peeked at him through her fingers, cheeks red with a soft glare. Adrien laughed heartily and took hold of one of her hands and pressed it against the floor next to her head. Snuggling closer to her, he peppered kisses on her neck, cheeks, and the corner of her lips, fitted his hips between her thighs again. He felt the way she widened her legs and arch her back, her breath quickening against his collarbone.

They weren’t done.

The first pushed of his cock against her heat had her bowing underneath him. He captured her other hand and held them beside her head. He pulled away slightly, afraid if he was close to the juncture of her neck and shoulder he would not be able to resist claiming her. He already envisioned himself doing so many times in his fantasies, and just because one of his fantasies was currently happening didn’t mean he wanted to take advantage of her.

Instead, he focused on the sensation she was making in him. Languishingly, he kept thrusting deliberately and steadily. He felt her plump lower lips embrace him softly and bathe him with her wetness. It had his eyes rolling in the back of his head from the pleasure. Her body softly jerked and her hips lifted up to seek his when he moved away. She opened for him with her nails scratching his hands. She begged him to touch her more and he did by pushing her dress over her breasts, resting it under her chin.

She was a vision. Hair a mess, nearly nude, covered in red from his lips and her blush. Her breasts, round and topped with dusty pink nipples had him groaning. He was only able to capture one cheeky nipple and suckle it for a short moment when the head of his length stroke her clit and was rewarded with a cry of his name, the heavy beloved-filled gaze of hers meeting his.

This was where he wanted to be for the rest of his life. In this constant, blissful filled state with her. Every stroke had him shivering. Every roll had her scent inkling through and coating him. He groaned when she gasped. He moaned when she mewled until her toes curled and back arched, and found the clenching released she wanted. The waves of pleasurable orgasm were short and sporadic. It caused her to bite the junction of his neck and shoulder to stop the loud moan from escaping her mouth.

The press of her teeth on his skin caused him to choke and curl over her as he continued to rub himself hurriedly over her sodden pussy. He pictured himself ripping her panties and making himself home in her, to feel her clenching over his length. But her teeth on him, the pseudo-claim, made him a goner. He shot streams of his cum between them, dense and hot, landing on their stomachs and chests, penetrating her with his scent furthermore and pacifying a primal urge in him. Not only that, but she was basically drenched in his musk.

He gasped, groaned as his muscle relaxed and he lost some strength. He felt the lingering pressure of her teeth on him and he hoped he would at least get a bruise from it. One day, he would encourage her to break skin and mark him as hers. For now, he nuzzled her affectionately and he swept in for a kiss she met gently.

She was sweet.

“Marinette,” he kissed her cheeks and temple, smiling at her hum response. “You're -”

An explosion jolted them and Marinette pushed him off. “Paris!” She rushed to get up and smacked her hand against the window, her dress falling back down to its original place.

She completely forgetting there was an akuma loose in Paris.

“Wait, Marinette!”

“We have to go, now!”

“I need to tell you that you-”

Another explosion and Marinette thrust her hand towards the window and cried out again, “Paris!”

She was out the window before he could utter another sound and, guiltily, he found some solace knowing that his cum was still on her stomach. 


	23. The Stray

Adrien sighed for the fifth time, his expression soft as he stared out the window as he replayed yesterday over in his mind. She said she loved him. She loved him.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the love of his life and mate, was in love with him.

While he did not officially answer her confession of love with his own, and the events after her confession was not exactly how he wanted to express his feelings for her, it did not take away from the fact that she was in love with him. He wanted to tell her but he was swept away due to an incident in the pack that had to be dealt with right away.

“Your phone,” Plagg threw a scrap of bread at his Chosen’s head, scowling as the screech pierced the air around them.

“Oh,” Adrien patted his pants until he found his phone and answered the ringing device before Plagg threw his chair at him. “Allô?”

“Is Nino with you!?” Alya asked frantically.

“No. Why?”

“I did something stupid,” Alya admitted. “I knew I should have waited because he wasn’t ready but I told him he was my mate and he ran off and I can’t find him. What should I do?”

Adrien blinked, “What?”

“Adrien! I need your help!” Alya cried, “Marinette isn’t picking up and you’re the only other person I know that Nino would run to besides his mom and his mom has no idea where he’s at since last night.”

Plagg lifted an eyebrow, hearing Alya’s words clearly and was about to make a comment when he received a message from Master Fu. “I swear,” Plagg cursed and stood up from his seat. He went over to tap the side of Adrien’s chair with his foot and gestured to him to get up. “You Chosens are nothing but trouble. Hell, Trixx wasn’t this much of a misfit when we were teens. Tell the kit we’re meeting at Royal Hall, again.”

“Again?” Adrien repeated and followed his elder as he passed the message to Alya before hanging up. “Do…you know why?” He asked carefully, worried that it has to do something with Marinette.

Plagg gave him a bored look, “Nope, but, look, I’m sure Lady Luck isn't responsible this time.”

Adrien exhaled in relief but hesitatively allowed himself to feel reassured, something stirred in him that told him differently. Once he saw Marinette he would feel better. They made their way to the public station to cross over to the Realm. They bumped into Alya who crossed over from Fourth station at Royal Hall.

“Hey,” Alya greeted them, fidgeting constantly as she fell into step with them.

“Don’t worry,” Adrien patted her shoulder. “Nino will have to show up to the meeting.”

“I don’t know what to do or say when I see him.” She admitted.

“Really?”

“Well, yeah, after kicking his ass for running away from me, his mate, the only love of his life, what am I going to say?”

Adrien chuckled and squeezed her shoulder, “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

They went up the winding staircases, passed the floating lanterns and chandelier until they reached the grand doors of the Elders’ Gathering Room. Adrien frowned, taking his seat at the long oak table. There was no Tikki or Marinette. He also noticed Nino was missing too. He heard Alya huff from across the table, her fingers tapping the table as Trixx walked in and ruffled her Chosen’s hair. Pollen buzzed in, her fingers pressed to her ear as she tried to tune in to her Chosen.

“Where’s High-Maintenance?” Trixx asked, sitting down next to Alya.

“I don’t know,” Pollen answered. “I’m still trying to locate her. Ah,” she heard static and tuned it match Chloe’s frequency. “Chloe? Allô? Yes. Can you hear me?” Pollen jumped when Tikki and Wayzz burst in behind her.

“Project your conversation to the main screen,” Wayzz said wearily to her as he glanced back at Tikki.

Adrien stood; ready to ask Tikki where Marinette was when Plagg pulled him down to his seat again. “We’re starting,” Plagg said.

Master Fu walked in seconds after and took his seat at the head of the table as the screen on the opposite side of him gleamed white and slowly generated color. Plagg leaned back in his chair, looking at Tikki who still stood and talked lowly with Wayzz and Pollen.

Something was happening.

“Now, you all may be wondering why I called you in,” Master Fu smiled. “Especially Plagg, Tikki, and Adrien. I know you three and Marinette recently got back from your last minute trip into the Tear and are still recovering. I personally want to apologize for the constant meetings but it seems –”

“Oh, finally!” Chloe’s shrill voice interrupted Master Fu. “Allô. Allô! Can you see me? I need someone to call Dad-oh! Adrien! I know you would look for me!” Chloe gushed on screen, there was a faint voice in the background on her end.

“This is why we are here,” Master Fu sighed. “There was an incident early this morning around eight where Chosen Chloe went through a Tear.”

“What!” Alya shot up, “Chloe, girl, are you stupid!? You’re barely a Chosen for two months and you decided to go through a Tear!?”

Chloe glared at Alya, “It wasn’t like I planned to go through the Tear! I just didn’t want those two to think I’m useless!”

“Those two?” Adrien asked.

“Yeah,” Chloe snorted, “Drunk and drunker.”

“Explain,” Tikki demanded and Adrien felt a knot form in the pit of his stomach. Unknown to him, a knot of dread was also forming in Alya’s.

“Yeah, no problem.” Chloe shuffled, “So –”

“Not you,” Tikki injected, turning around to Luka who stepped in a minute prior. “You, from the beginning.”

“Um,” Luka shrugged his shoulders. “Well, it all started last night when Nino came into the Guard Study Room to get me after he dragged Marinette from the Common Land to go to a bar with him in Central Royal. He wouldn’t tell me why he was…in a panic but I went along because I was curious,” Luka said carefully, stepping back at Alya and Adrien’s glares.

“And?” Wayzz pushed this time, a cool anger rolling off of him.

“So, we left the bar a little before seven in the morning.”

“You three have been drinking all night?” Tikki’s smile was sharp.

“Um, yes,” Luka took another step back.

“Continue,” Master Fu gestured.

“It was past seven in the morning when we ran into Chloe at a breakfast place in Little Paris and at eight an Akuma attacked. We were able to defeat it –”

“Yeah, after running into each other like, four times.” Chloe snorted.

“But, Nino decided that he wanted to fight some more and went through the Tear.”

“He did what!?” Alya slammed her hands on the table and was forced to sit down by Trixx.

“Marinette, of course, went after him.”

“She did what!?” Adrien repeated Alya’s action and Plagg had to restrain Adrien from stalking up to Luka.

“Then, I followed them because Luka told me not to,” Chloe stated with a huff.

Pollen sighed, “Chloe.”

“What!? I’m a Chosen, too. I have every right to jump into danger like them.”

“Marinette and Nino are not ideal role models when it comes to impulse control," Wayzz stated.

"In addition to that, they have years of training and experience as Chosens,” Pollen argued. “Marinette herself had lead missions into the Tear but you’re still new.”

Chloe pouted, “Well, they’re drunk and it’s too late. I’m here, it’s been like four hours and I want to go home.”

“So,” Master Fu sighed, “as you can see. We have three lost strays in the Tear.”

“Where’s Marinette?” Adrien asked.

“And Nino,” Alya stood up again.

Chloe snorted, “They’re fine. Marinette went to scout the area and Nino. Well,” Chloe turned her screen around and they saw Nino singing and dancing salsa with an open bottle of vodka. “Well, he’s drunk and useless and this is why I need someone to come and get me.”

Tikki rubbed her temples, “Once Marinette is back we will form a plan.”

Chloe shook her head, turning the camera back on her. “Did you not hear me? Nino is drunk and so is Marinette and I’m going to die if we rely on them.”

While Tikki was holding in a scream of frustration, Wayzz continued to speak. “What do you mean she is also drunk?”

Chloe heard a noise and twisted the camera. “Like I said, drunk and drunker are useless. Especially with Nino pulling bottles out of his magic pocket every hour.”

They all saw as Marinette pushed herself through a small sliver of an opening from above in the bare room they were hiding in and flipped down. However, she lost her footing and had to do an extra two flips until she was steady.

“I’m back,” she was barely able to push her hair away from her face when Nino grabbed her hand and gave her a twirl. He led her in advance dance steps of salsa as he sang. Marinette laughed and she met his steps. Unlike Chloe who was dressed for Sunday brunch, Nino and Marinette were dressed for the beach. Nino wore an open white button-up shirt and deep navy blue surf shorts with sandals while Marinette had a blush bikini top and a short white cover over her bikini bottom.

"We, um, were planning to go to Royal Shores," Luka cleared his throat.

"Which explains your poor choice of clothing for today," Tikki said coldly. Plagg snickered.

“I’m going to die with these two drunk idiots,” Chloe said.

Marinette sobered up slightly at her comment, “We’re not!” She swayed, “because I have a plan.”

Chloe stood up, still streaming. “Finally. What are we going to do?”

“Okay, so there're about five akumas out there waiting for us, all mid-range.”

“We’re going to die,” Chloe cried. They both tilted their head at Chloe in confusion.

Nino stopped his basic steps, taking a long drink of his bottle before passing it to Marinette. “Why does she think we’re going to die?” Nino asked.

Marinette took a sip from the bottle as well. “No idea. Oh, wait,” she smacked his arm lightly. “It’s her first time in the Tear.”

Nino gasped at Chloe affectionately, “High-Maintenance, we’re having a first together? I’m so excited.”

“Oh, shut up and tell me the plan,” Chloe sneered.

“Oh, she’s angry,” Nino shook his hands.

“Maybe she’s hungry?” Marinette offered, “But, anyway, here’s the plan. We sneak out the back, defeat the one akuma I saw there, signal Pollen to open a portal with Chloe, and we report to the Queen what happened before two.”

Nino gasped, “That way we can start day two of ‘I don’t know what I’m doing and I’m stressed’ right at five.”

“What are you two even talking about?!” Chloe shouted.

“Happy hour,” they answered in unison.

“Why?!”

“Well, I’m broke but Marinette can bat her ridiculously long cow lashes at any guy and get free drinks – which she shares with me. Which then reminds me, who cares if we start day two at happy hour since Mari Cake is going to get me free drinks,” Nino went back to his basic steps with Marinette.

“No! Why am I stuck with you two!?”

“You followed,” Marinette spun away from Nino. “Okay! Let’s do this,” she clapped her hands together.

Chloe basically had all the Elders and Chosens screaming in her ear and she tried to repeat what they were saying to Nino and Marinette. “Wait! No! That’s dangerous! We should just wait in here where it’s safe until I – I mean – Adrien – no! – Alya – no! – the Elders can come for us!” Chloe turned away from Nino and Marinette, and grumbled at the communicator, “one at a time.”

“Nah, I think this is a good decision,” Nino said.

Chloe huffed and was about to scream insults when she heard Luka and Alya shouting from her communicator. She gasped and turned to them, “That’s why you two are blundering drunk!? Because you found out you have a mate!”

Marinette delicately placed her hand on her chest and took seven steps away from Nino, “You’re Alya’s mate?”

Nino blinked and attempted to make a run for it, but Marinette was able to grab his arm. She held it sharply and twisted it until he fell on his knee. “Fuck, mercy, Mari!”

“Nino,” she demanded, loosening her hold on him.

Nino blushed despite the awkward angle he was in, “Y-yeah. She told me last night and I kind of....”

Marinette quickly released him and took his hat to smack him with it, “Alya Cesaire told you, you are her mate and you ran away from her?” She hit him again with his hat, “What’s wrong with you!”

“You ran away, too, when you heard Adrien was mated to Kagami!”

“First of all, we are not talking about me and second, that’s different!” Marinette threw her hands in the air, her level of intoxication diminishing by the second. “I accepted a three-month mission proposed to me by the Queen weeks prior with a team that was trained and prepared for the Tear wearing the right clothing!” She thrust her hands between them, indicating to the beachwear they were wearing. “You can’t compare that to this. What were you thinking?”

“I just wanted to drink and fight and forget!” Nino shouted back.

“Why?”

“She scares me!”

Marinette gasped loudly, “How dare you. I know Alya Cesaire like I know my own mind. Kind. Funny. Trusting and beautiful and you’re scared of her?”

“Yes!” Nino ran his hand through his hair, “No. She…what if.” He sighed, “Mari, I’ve been preparing myself since the day I met her for her to leave me. I knew she was going to find her mate and no matter how much we loved each other, it normally does not work out. You can’t compete with fate and then…out of nowhere she tells me I’m her mate? We’ve been together for almost three now and she just tells me out of nowhere and I was so happy.”

Marinette lifted her eyebrow, “Then what’s the issue?”

“I’m scared,” Nino admitted. “What if it’s not me? What if I smell similar to the person that is supposed to be her mate? I don’t have the whole ‘mate scent’ thing and I’m scared she made a mistake.”

“Oh my dieu, you’re an idiot,” Chloe exclaimed. “Weres don’t make mistakes when it comes to their mates.”

“They don’t?”

“No,” Chloe muttered. “Once they smell their mate it's basically a beacon for them to claim. Nothing else matters and if they did make mistakes then Adrien would be mine.”

“Shit,” Nino rubbed his face and stayed crouched on the ground for a few moments. Suddenly, he jumped up and scared them. “I’m her mate. I'm her mate! She’s mine. Oh no, what am I going to do?”

“Apologize to Alya until the end of time.”

“Ok. I can do that.” Nino nodded and gasped, remembering how he got into this mess again. “What did I do?!”

“You ran away from your mate like a coward like someone else I know,” Chloe answered.

“I didn’t mean to!” Nino went on wailing, “Alya! I’m sorry!”

“Like you didn’t mean to run into the Tear?” Chloe went on, enjoying Nino’s torment.

“Me?” Nino shot up, “No, that was Marinette! I ran after her!” Marinette and Chloe gave him a look that made him rub his head, “You didn’t?”

“No,” Chloe growled, “that was you, you idiot. We’re here in this mess because of you!”

“But I saw her! I saw you,” Nino reasoned.

Marinette tilted her head again. She felt something was off with this whole scenario but honestly felt too light headed to pinpoint where the suspicion was. “Who cares but new plan; we sneak out the back, defeat the akuma there, signal Pollen to open a portal, report to the Queen what happened and get you to Alya to make-up before two.”

“Okay,” Nino nodded, “And after I make up with Alya we’re going to get Luka and Nathaniel and Adrien and have them go to happy hour with us in celebration. Hey ho!” Nino held is his hand up for a high-five and Marinette gave a small jump to reach it.

“Why!?” Chloe cried out again.

“Slight sober to have an important conversation but still drunk enough to know we want to get drunker and, maybe, get in another fight or two,” Nino explained. “Also, I just remembered, we can’t bring Adrien because he’ll be all territorial and I want my free drinks and I can’t use Alya because she’s my mate.”

“Wait. Why would he?” Marinette perked an eyebrow.

She was missing something. She knew she was. The subtle comments they made, make it sound like she was Adrien’s mate, but she knew she wasn’t because she confessed to him yesterday and he didn’t reciprocate the confession. He had a mate already and was getting married to her, and yesterday it was her heat making him lose control like that.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t care about her like that, right?

“Now, on to the plan!” Nino shouted in excitement.

“Ah! Stop shouting!” Chloe shouted to her communicator.

“Who are you talking to?” Marinette asked as Nino passed her the open bottle of vodka again.

“Stop drinking!” Chloe shouted, repeating Tikki’s words. She blushed and straightened herself, “I got into contact with Pollen and the others.”

Nino and Marinette looked at each other. “Others as in…?” Nino gestured.

“As in the Elders, Adrien, Alya, and Luka.” Chloe answered with a smirk.

“Since when?”

“A little before Marinette got back.”

Marinette blinked and shrugged her shoulders but Nino paled at the mention of Adrien, and then trembled and crumpled to his knees at Alya’s name. “A-Alya?”

“Well, at least you don’t need to explain yourself to her now. You’re welcome,” Chloe huffed.

Nino ambled his way to Chloe but then ran to her until he tripped in front of her. “A-Alya! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! And Adrien, I was just kidding about the whole Marinette thing.”

“Alya said you two will talk later and Adrien doesn’t want to talk to you,” Chloe smiled.

“Adrien, forgive me!”

Chloe looked over to Marinette, “Hey, Tikki wants you-hey! Are you listening to me?”

Marinette was looking at the large peeling double doors that led to the outside desert environment of the Tear. Her right wing throbbed in pain. During the attack in Central Royal, the akuma went after Nino. Due to the three vodka shots she had minutes prior with Nino, she dove in to save him. Along the way, the tip of her wing was bitten off by the akuma. She was able to fold her wings back onto her body to manage the bleeding and pain, but she could notice the bite when following the tan lines of her wing on her skin.

She took another swing of the vodka to numb the pain, to not only make it bearable but to think clearer. She was able to defeat two akumas that were creeping towards them when she went out, but there were a few more out there that were close by. While, yes, she was more than tipsy after all the drinking she and Nino did last night and this morning, but that did not mean she was oblivious.

Tears do not open and then close in the span of ten minutes on their own.

She felt the static in the air, knew an akuma was arriving before it made its first run against the doors. “We’re moving,” she said, turning around to pull Nino up from the ground.

“What is it!?” Chloe asked, following Marinette deeper into the abandoned building they were hiding in.

“An akuma. What else?” Nino snorted.

“Oh, just dance your way to fashion disaster, will ya?”

“The plan still stands,” Marinette stated when the akumas burst through the locked door. Pushing them towards the back, she took one last swing of the vodka before pushing it in Nino’s hands who then passed it to Chloe.

The two senior Chosens ran towards the akumas, engaging in battle as Chloe scouted back, watching them as they defeat three akumas. They were reckless. She heard Tikki argued with Plagg about that, and she agreed. Marinette who normally gave herself distance was engaged in close-range attacks. Sober Nino preferred clever tricks and spells to defeat akumas but drunk Nino used attack spells at a higher rate.

At one point there were five new akumas in the room. Both Nino and Marinette were panting, watching them all wearily. “Go,” Marinette shouted over her shoulder.

“What are you talking about!?” Nino scrambled to her but was pushed back, “Marinette.”

“Go take Chloe to the back and protect her!” Marinette pushed him again, “get that portal open.”

“Oh, shit. It’s bad now, isn’t?”

“Go, Nino!”

Nino nodded dumbly and pivoted. He grabbed Chloe by the arm and ran towards the back. Chloe was shouting back to her communicator, arguing with everyone that was shouting at her. “What do you want me to do? Force her to come with me?! She’s the Lead Guard!?”

“Run faster, Chloe!” Nino yelled at her.

“Don’t yell at me!”

“I wouldn’t if you keep up!”

“Well, I don’t know why he doesn’t use his broom!” Chloe shouted to Luka.

“My broom!” Nino skipped in joy, with a wave of magic he reached into his button-up pocket and pulled his broom out. “Get on,” He mounted his broom and tugged her on. They levitated and flew down the hall at a quick speed, curving halls and entering deeper into the building. Walls were crumbling, losing pigment from the dry condition of the Tear. More than once Nino almost crashed into a wall and Chloe smacked him.

“Alya said you can’t fly and be drunk at the same time ever again,” Chloe grumbled when they reached the end. Chloe was able to hop off the broom, buzzing slightly before Nino ran into the wall with a solid thud.

“Oh, my head,” Nino groaned, turning to his side.

“Alya wants to know if you’re okay.”

“No.”

“She said that isn’t funny.”

They both turned to the hall, hearing the echo of an akuma.

“The portal,” Nino scrambled up. “The portal!” He shouted, positioning himself in front of her, his wand unsteady in his hand as he shook his head.

The room was large, meters between the hall entrance and the back wall. Chloe nodded to what Pollen was saying, “Yeah. Yeah. Like you showed me.” She exhaled and held her hands up, her index fingers touching as she concentrated on Pollen, connecting to her. “Yes, I’m trying!” She barked at Plagg.

There was a faint orange light in her mind and she found Pollen. Smiling, she imagined her fingers touching the orange light and they connected.

~o~o~o~o~

“How long will this take?” Alya asked, pacing the room.

“Patience,” Trixx said, the portal was halfway done. The orange light almost a meter in length in the middle of the room. The screen on Chloe’s side reflected the same line. “Almost there,” Trixx bit her thumb.

“What do you think Master Fu will say?” Plagg asked Tikki, inhaling the sharp smoke of his cigarette. The Queen sent a message minutes before, demanding an explanation of last night and this morning. Master Fu decided to meet with the Queen, taking Luka with him as he was a witness.

“Horrible habit,” Tikki muttered, watching the screen intently.

“Necessary habit.”

“Bad influence,” she indicated to Adrien who was watching the screen as intently as she was, a cigarette also hanged from his lips.

“Tell that to the rest of our pack then,” Plagg said, happy that he got a smile from her. “It’s going to be alright. We’ll make it to her.” Plagg shot a look to Adrien, “you heard me, cub?”

“Yeah,” Adrien answered absent-mindedly, recently he had to remind Plagg to call him either by his name or by his new title as Alpha, but at the moment, his anxiety to get to Marinette took precedent over his title.

“You don’t believe me?”

“It’s been fifteen minutes,” Adrien shot back.

They all jumped when Chloe moved her screen from the portal to Nino. There was silence on their end, but they saw Nino look around the room before stepping closer to the hall entrance, his wand glowed with an attack ready to be shot.

“Chloe,” Pollen called to her. “We need to keep going.”

“Yeah, sorry.” She answered back, her fingers connecting with the line again but she shot up when a loud thud was heard on their side.

“Keep going,” Nino looked over at her.

“But –”

A roar and screech were heard and they all jumped when an akuma crashed through the roof of the building. “Oh shit,” Nino cursed as he stepped forward. “Shit! Marinette!” He was about to run forward when another akuma crawled through the hole, screaming as it spotted Nino and Chloe.

A pink light shot through the fallen akuma, dispersing it into white orbs. Marinette sat up unsteadily, pushing up until she stood on unsteady legs. Her wings were open and they all gaped at her torn wing. When she turned to Nino, he took a step back. Her right eye glowed pink.

More akumas slithered into the hole, all screeching and growling as they caught sight at each Chosen. “Marinette, get over here.” Nino hissed at her. “Mari!”

“Protect her,” Marinette said as akumas made their way to her, circling her.

An akuma landed in front of Nino and the wizard did his best to defeat it but he quickly went on the defense. “Keep going, Chloe,” Nino shouted to her every single time she stopped.

“Pollen,” Tikki stalked up to the Pixie. Multiple thuds resounded in the rooms as akumas rammed against the shield Nino put up. “Pollen. Please.”

“I’m trying,” Pollen struggled to stay connected to her Chosen, knowing all the frenzy was distracting her. “I’m trying.”

Marinette was thrown against the wall, an akuma trapped her and she used an optic blast to obliterate. She slid down the wall, tired and in pain as three akumas stalked her. Two crept to Nino and Chloe.

“Get up! Come on, Mari! Get up!” Nino shouted, “Chloe!”

“Sorry!” She shouted. She got distracted again. Almost there.

Nino was able to push the shield back far enough to throw two electric attacks at an akuma, destroying it before setting the shield up again. Marinette flicked her hand to the right, vines shot through the floor and into an akuma that rammed against Nino’s shield.

She looked up at the hole in the ceiling and met Le Peon’s pleased gaze before looking back to the akumas.

Think.

She had to think.

The largest akuma, a molding green moss, lurked closer to her. It was a high range akuma with large pointed teeth that gleamed when it snarled. She saw the black of its tongue, the red of its throat and nodded.

That was an idea.

Her worst idea but an idea nonetheless.

“It’s open!” Chloe shouted in excitement. She stepped back as Adrien and Alya shot through first. Tikki, Plagg and Wayzz followed suit as Pollen stayed on the other side, monitoring the portal.

However, they watched too late as Marinette jumped straight into the akuma’s mouth.

“No!” Adrien yelled. “Marinette!" He was cold, a mixture of being numbed and filled of rage as he snarled and morphed. Black fur covered his body, his fang elongated as he sprinted towards the akuma. His cries were raw as he sank his claw in a maroon akuma, vanishing it into the air. Pushed another away as it stood in his way, almost reaching the green moss akuma.

A pink light then burst from its stomach and imploded.

“Oh shit!” Nino jumped from foot to foot.

Marinette stood among the green flesh that was evaporating. She pushed her hair back, flicking the slug off of her even if it was disappearing too. Her eyes were taken over by the same pink that now covered her torn wing, completing its missing segment. She turned at the screech of another akuma, but Adrien grabbed her before she could lift her hand.

Tikki and Wayzz kept the akumas at bay as they all rushed back into the Realm. Plagg pushed Tikki into the Realm despite her reassurance she was fine before following her, and Wayzz placed a large shield over the portal before passing through. Pollen, Wayzz, and Chloe worked together to shut the portal quickly.

~o~o~o~o~

“Alpha, I have a quick question.”

Adrien barely acknowledged Kim on the other end. Five days had passed. Five days of Adrien being in a daze and distracted. After passing the portal, Marinette was not responsive. She stood in the middle of the room, eyes rose-tinted until she was ushered away to a witch doctor by Master Fu and Tikki.

Plagg held him back when he tried to follow. Due to that, the Gathering Room now needed to be entirely repaired. Chloe suggested yellow walls would brighten up the place.

The little information he had about her was thanks to Tikki. He knew within the first hour at the witch doctor she was out of whatever spell she was under. She was talkative and healing just fine, dazed with a hangover. On the second day, everyone was surprised when her wing began to repair itself. That was not normal and Master Fu explained it was due to the Miraculous Stone of Creation inside of her. Pollen and Tikki’s healing incantations sped her healing, and on the fourth day all her wounds were closed. The skin still fresh and could easily tear open if she wasn’t careful.

He was not allowed to speak to her due to the Queen’s order. He tried to use his status as Alpha to speak with the Queen to fight the order, but Wayzz banned him from entering the Realm after he disobeyed the Queen three times and tried to barrel into her throne room.

Alya perked her eyebrow at him as Kim called out again. Like him, she was not allowed to see Nino and suffered the same ban. “Not going to answer him?”

“What is it?” Adrien asked after a moment.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng…she’s your mate?”

“Why are you asking?” Adrien straightened up.

“She snuck out,” Alya said, showing her the message Tikki sent her seconds ago asking if she knew where Marinette was.

“Why are you asking,” Adrien repeated to Kim.

“Well,” Kim stated carefully.

“Kim!” Adrien pulled away and glared at his phone when Kim hang up, however a video call came through. Adrien felt his heart thundered as Kim waved at him and turn the camera around.

Alya peered over Adrien’s shoulder and pointed out to the tall figure that stood at a table at an outdoor patio of a restaurant. “It’s Luka. Isn’t he on a date tonight?”

“Is he?” Adrien asked uninterestedly. They then watched in pure shock when a woman in a pink dress walked out of the restaurant up to Luka, turning around to slide her arms into her coat that he held open for her with a smile.

“That’s her, right?” Kim asked as the woman turned around and tilted her head at Luka. “That’s our Luna.”

“She snuck out to meet him,” Alya looked over at Adrien.

“Why would she?”

“Luka,” Alya frowned, “He likes Marinette.”

Adrien’s chest compressed, nerves gushing from his pores as Marinette and Luka walked out of the restaurant. He told himself it meant nothing, to not jump to conclusions because they were teammates, to swallow the hurt that was rising because nothing was happening between the two of them.

He held onto the thought until Luka turned Marinette around and leaned down to kiss her.

~o~o~o~o~

Despite stuffing her mouth with gelato, she tasted nothing. It was bland. But the smile she plastered on her face told Luka otherwise as they walked down the main street of Royal City. Even if she couldn’t taste anything, she could feel and she felt him. His arm bumping against hers. The back of his hand hitting hers.

Embarrassingly, she forgot about her agreed date with him after what happened the last few weeks. When he was led into her room by a royal guard she asked what he was doing and he simply answered that he was there for his date she promised him in Refleka.

She wanted to say no.

It was not right to go out with Luka. She got rejected by Adrien and she needed to yell at him for fooling around with her feelings and Kagami’s, find Kagami and apologize to her even if that meant getting her throat ripped out, continue to sob into anything for five months or so if she was still alive because she was not his mate, and then move on guilt-free.

However, the red-suit wearing fencing prodigy was out of the county and won’t return until the end of the month.

There went that part of the plan.

Also, there was the issue of the Queen requesting her to stay quarantine, to be watched after what happened to her in the Tear, and Marinette was going crazy being locked up again. So, when she saw the opportunity to sneak out, she took it.

Will Tikki get angry? Yes.

Will the Queen get angry? Most definitely.

Did she care? She wasn’t sure yet.

Spring so far has been a whirlwind of bad decisions after bad decisions. She knew she has to put a stop to what she has with Adrien and decided that if she cannot rid the werecat from her life in Royal City and Paris, she will get rid of herself. She asked for a transfer to the port city of Pearl and if approved, she will leave after speaking to him.

She didn’t want to take such a drastic decision, but what else could she do? She tried desperately to separate her personal life from work, but that did not work. Look at where it got her. Every choice she made connected back to her emotions. And, at the end, no matter what she does, her heart was going to be the loser in every scenario. Confused, hurt and slightly nauseous, she did not know what to do with the consequence of her actions.

“You know.”

Marinette shifted her gaze from the river to Luka, traced the curve of his forehead down to his nose, and paused at his lips. Although she turned her head slightly, his kiss on her cheek and the tips of her lips was unexpected. It caused her to jump and blush, and she discovered something in that short second.

She discovered that she could fall in love with him.

It will take time, she will have to fall out of love with Adrien first, but she already liked Luka and that was halfway to falling in love, wasn’t it?

“Hm?”

“When you stray, you stray pretty well, don’t you?” Luka joked.

“I don’t mean to,” she answered.

“How angry do you think the Queen will be when she finds us?”

“Not as angry as Tikki,” she chuckled. “And don’t worry, they’ll be more upset with me than with you.”

“Hey, I snuck you out.”

“Only because I agreed to be snuck out.”

Luka’s smile out beamed hers. “I’ll smooth it over with them, then.” He laughed. “They can’t keep you locked up forever.”

“Eh, well, so far, that’s what it seems they want to do.”

“Will you agree to go back when we’re caught?”

“No,” Marinette looked back to the river. “I agreed to seven days but I think five is more than enough. All my open cuts are closed. I just have to be careful not to reopen them.”

“And we all know you’re good at that.”

“I don’t appreciate your sarcasm.”

“Ah, but I got you to smile, didn’t I?”

“You always seem to.”

“So, is that what you told Tikki when you called her?”

“Yeah. I’m just sorry that it had to take place in front of the gelato cart,” she laughed.

“And on my phone?”

“And on your phone,” she mulled over all the conversations she had over the last few days. “I understand why. They’re worried – or at least Tikki is but I can’t live in hiding.”

“It is risky, you being out in the open, I mean.”

“Yeah,” she frowned, “They want me to either step down as a Lead Guard or officially get someone to be my Second that is qualified to ‘protect’ me when necessary.”

“So…a bodyguard, basically?”

“I guess?”

“And I’m not qualified?”

“Ask the Queen that, not me.”

“Besides me, anyone else in mind?”

Marinette paused. Honestly, she didn’t think much on getting an official Second since she has been thinking about leaving the Guard, but she made a promise to Adrien to get his parents back and she intended to keep it. She had broken many promises in the past; liedand snuck her way through victories and political battles but this promise, she had to keep it.

It would be her parting gift to him.

“No. Not yet.”

“Hm,” Luka nodded his head. “Mari?”

“Yes?”

“How’s…your wing?”

Marinette stumbled. Luka steadied her and apologized while she did too. She was still soft around the topic of her wing. Wings were like limbs; they do not regenerate new parts. She couldn’t even look at it in the mirror without wanting to throw up until Tikki told her it was healing. “Better. It’s…I’m better. I just hope I can still fly once it’s all healed up.”

“You’re going to fly again. In fact, I think you’re going to fly higher and faster than before.”

“You think so?”

“Yes. You are amazing and I know you’re going to continue to do amazing things.” Luka grabbed her hand and squeezed, jolting her without meaning to. “I had fun tonight,” he said, low and soothing, giving her that kind smile she always liked.

“I did, too.” She answered truthfully.

 _Please, let me fall in love with him_ , she thought as he stepped closer to her. _Please make me forget him_ , she thought as he reached and took a hefty bite of her gelato, chuckling alongside her as they walked next to the stars reflected off the steady river beside them. _Why can’t I fall in love with you?_

“Hey…can I say something?” Luka asked, eating the last bit of her gelato. His eyes were softer than normal and she assumed it was due to her heat. Luckily, he didn’t have a keen sense of smile like Adrien.

“Yes?”

“I love you.” The words sent thousands of burning arrows in her. Trembling, she looked behind her to the panting man with eyes that intensity rivaled the sun. “I love you,” he said again, stepping forward to touch her but stopped. “Marinette,” he said her name with such longing that it confused her.

“What are you doing?” she choked out, “Adrien?”

Adrien gently took Marinette away from Luka and embraced her carefully, whispering heated words against her head that pierced the air and altered her reality. “You’re my mate.”

Adrien’s kiss was sweet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It happened. She knows.


	24. Kiss it Better

“Can I just say I have never met a man who is as pretty as you and is willing to face death with a smile.”

“Alya.”

“I’m just saying,” Alya held her hands up, “Like, damn, daredevils have nothing on you.”

“Alya,” Luka groaned.

“Enough,” Trixx sighed loudly, taking her place next to Alya with a bored expression.

“Thank you,” Chloe scoffed, “You would think as Chosens you two will be more mature.”

“Says the one that requested her seat to be reupholstered with pink fuzzy fabric,” Alya shot back.

“Chloe,” Pollen placed her hand on her Chosen, halting her from spouting insults at Alya for the second time that day.

“Yeah. Yeah,” Chloe muttered into her hand. “I’ll be good. So, why are we here again? It’s past nine and I have important things to do.”

“Watching your shows are not important things,” Pollen reprimanded. “And we are here because the Queen requested a meeting with us.”

“About?”

“Well,” Master Fu entered, a small smile played on his lips. “From what I heard, we are going to get a harsh scolding.”

“And you’re smiling about that, why?” Trixx frowned.

Master Fu took his place at the south end of the table, “I find this all entertaining.”

“So, why are we here again?” Chloe asked, wanting clarification as she pointed to Alya and herself.

“We’re here because Luka tried to declare a Providence Challenge,” Alya said.

“Alya,” Luka hissed.

“What’s that?” Chloe asked.

“It’s when a person challenges a Were’s claim on their mate,” Trixx explained.

“One could consider Luka’s involvement with Marinette as a challenge,” Pollen offered.

“Because Luka has some, ya know,” she made large round gestures and Luka shot up.

“I didn’t know!” Luka shouted with a fierce blush. “And you know what? If I did and if Marinette was in love with me, I would!”

“Then luckily for you she isn’t,” Adrien almost slammed the door open, his eyes a fierce gold, “I would hate to lose a friend.”

“Relax,” Plagg smacked the back of Adrien’s head with his monthly Fancy Cheese magazine. “Your musk is stinking up the place.” Plagg entered the room with Adrien behind him. “I hate these last-minute meetings.”

“You hate all of our meetings,” Trixx shot back, “And these last minutes ones are usually due to your and Tikki’s Chosens.”

“And Wayzz’s,” Pollen added, “This time and last time.”

Plagg pouted, “’I’m aware.”

Adrien leaned back in his chair, waiting for the rest to arrive. He met Luka’s gaze with a scowl. Two hours ago, he was a twister of panic, anger, and relief when he found Marinette, replying to her confession. He was finally able to tell her she was his mate and, deep inside, the feral beast within him roared in approval at making his verbal claim in front of Luka. Marinette was his mate. She belonged with him and kissing her cooled the possessive animal in him. The brief seconds of primal satisfaction, excitement, and happiness he felt when his lips were on hers were short-lived when the royal guards found them.

He kept Marinette by his side as they were taken back to Royal Hall, snarling when a royal guard tried to separate the two of them. He used his nuance title as Alpha to keep them at bay, knowing any physical action would grant him judicial right to defend himself and his mate. She was quiet the entire time but her grip on his arm was firm. However, once they were at Royal Hall, Tikki met them at the entrance and stated that Marinette needed to go with her. There was a hard glint in Tikki’s eyes that met his. She knew his laws. After all, she was Plagg’s mate. Since he had not claim Marinette yet, his law does not protect her.

He knew that.

Tikki knew that.

The Queen may know but may not be entirely conscious of it since there were no packs in her domain. It was something he didn’t want to risk the Queen to realize yet. Reluctantly, he let Marinette go. The Fae Chosen went with Tikki, not giving him a glance as she met Tikki’s embrace. The only solace he felt as they left was knowing that Tikki would not leave his mate alone. After being placed in a sitting room with Plagg and speaking with a royal advisor, pulling his fangs back twice, they moved to the Gathering Room that was still a mess from before.

Wayzz entered and Tikki followed after him. Neither of them answered Alya’s questions about Nino and Marinette. They sat in their designated seats. A few moments later, the Queen walked in and took her seat at the head of the table. Alya and Adrien perked up and looked at the door. They caught their mates’ scents and were practically vibrating to go to them.

The double doors opened wide, one guard on each side held them open as a third guard came in with an annoyed Marinette swung over her shoulder and a squirming Nino under her right arm. She went around the table and deposited Marinette and Nino next to their Elders.

Adrien shot out of his seat at Marinette’s grimace as she held her side. “Mari-”

“Sit down, Chosen Agreste,” the Queen demanded, appalled when Adrien growled at her when she ordered him to return to his seat a second time. “Chosen Agreste.”

Adrien cupped Marinette’s face, stunning her. “Are you okay?” She nodded and Adrien visibly calmed down. Plagg pulled him away from her, tugging him back into his seat and he grudgingly followed.

The Queen was red, looking at Marinette, Adrien, and Nino with a slight glare before shifting her gaze to her guard. The guard cleared her throat. “Chosen Dupain-Cheng spelled Guard Lyon into thinking he is an insect,” the guard explained with her head bow, “and Chosen Coiffure cast a sleeping spell on Guard Flor.”

“Why?”

The guard looked at Adrien and Alya, seeing the feral beasts shining behind their irises. The guard spoke in the Queen’s native tongue much to the ire of the Chosens but Marinette and the Elders understood. Adrien and Alya smelt the Elders’ shock and fury. The Queen’s lips twitched for a second, “I see. Are they dealt with?”

“Yes, my Queen,” the guard answered in common tongue.

“Then, we will begin.” She glared at Nino and Marinette again while speaking to everyone. “I called all of you here due to behavioral issues. Never, in my century of ruling, have I encounter a group of incendiary Chosens such as you all. Not even Trixx caused me these many headaches.”

“Hey,” Trixx scowled.

The Queen ignored her and went on, “All of you, in some way or form, have caused a series of interruption and annoyance to my ruling.” She looked over to Chloe first, “You will cease any calls to my office regarding anything and everything. All of your requests, if you have any, that is, will first go to Pollen, then Master Fu, then three of my advisors before reaching my ear.” Chloe frowned and raised her hand to protest but the Queen’s glare stopped her. “If I receive another request regarding painting the Elder’s Gathering Room yellow, I will banish you from Royal City, understood?”

Chloe shuffled in her seat, “Yes, your Royal Highness.”

She then scowled at Luka, “You will not be assigned tier A missions until further notice. I also expect you to never assist an individual from escaping.”

“Yes, my Queen,” Luka answered.

She turned her gaze to Adrien, “I expect you will halt your Were tendencies in my court, in addition to barging into my office demanding for your mate’s whereabouts every single time she does her job as a Guard and takes a mission.” She shifted her gaze to Nino; “You are on probation for a year after yesterday’s incident in addition to a year of monitoring.”

“Yes, your Royal Highness,” Nino blushed.

The Queen’s gaze landed on Alya, “You are doing well.” The Queen almost snarled when she saw Marinette staring out of the window, “Chosen Dupain-Cheng.” Marinette turned to her; “Your attention should always be on me when I speak.”

“Forgive me, your Royal Highness,” Marinette said mutely.

“Out of anyone in this room, you are the most taxing. Are you fairly aware of this?”

“Yes, your Royal Highness.”

“Disobeying your Elder’s order, undermining plans set by Master Fu, going astray in domestic missions, varying off your mission in the Tear, fusing with the Miraculous Stone of Creation, getting intoxicated in the Tear beyond a reasonable doubt of survival, escaping Royal Protection, and attacking a royal guard is –”

“You cannot blame my Chosen for all of that!” Tikki shot up, her hands smacking against the table.

“Elder Tikki -”

“She is a Lead Guard and took responsibility ensuring our best chances of survival, ensuring that everyone around her is alive. Many of us will not even be here if it was not for her and her quick thinking! You should be awarding her for her outstanding performance as a Lead Guard!”

“Elder Tik-”

“And Guard Lyon deserved to be spelled. He locked himself in Marinette’s room with ill intention!”

“What!” Adrien roared, feral as he looked at Marinette and Tikki, “where is he?!”

“Dealt with and imprisoned,” the guard answered.

The Queen seethed, “Sit down. All of you! Probation,” The Queen declared to Marinette, “In addition to three years of monitoring. That means if you want to go somewhere you will need to report it to your Elder who will report it to my advisor before getting to me. You will need my approval before traveling anywhere; in addition, any missions – if you receive any after this whole affair – will also need my approval. Understood?”

Marinette pursed her lips, “Do I understand that you need to improve the quality of your royal guards after two were taken down by a nineteen-year-old and a twenty-one year old? Yes, I do.”

Everyone looked at Marinette as if she had grown dragon wings. It was Plagg laughter that broke everyone out of their shock. The Queen glared at Marinette and Plagg, but did not take the bait, “Chosen Dupain-Cheng, do you accept?”

Marinette looked over at Adrien, a thought was heavy on her mind. The Queen smacked her hand on the table, shaking it underneath their palms. “I concede,” Marinette finally answered, “Your Royal Highness.”

The Queen stood up and left the room, her anger felt like waves during high tide as the doors were slammed behind her. Plagg’s laughter still echoed the room until Pollen jabbed her elbow to his side. Master Fu’s gave another sigh but his lips quirked up into a smile.

“I was given the task to enforce these new rules and then some. However, it’ quite late and we can discuss more on a later date after a night of rest. So, I will make this brief for every one of you.” Master Fu looked at Luka. “Luka, you are currently being assigned to scouting missions in the Realm. Chloe will be shadowing you. Questions?”

“No, Master Fu,” Luka said, frowning at the entry-level placement but after sneaking Marinette out of royal custody, it was a light consequence.

“You are free to go.” Master Fu smiled before turning to Chloe, “You will not be in direct communication with the Queen until further notice. Besides shadowing Luka, you will also shadow Alix to learn stealth, Max for numerical possibilities, and, at some point, the rest of the Chosens. Yes?”

“Yes…so does this mean I won’t get yellow walls?”

Pollen shook her head and stood up, pulling her Chosen behind her as they left the room. Master Fu chuckled and switched his gaze to Alya, “You are doing extremely well, Alya. An example for the rest of the Chosen despite having Trixx as your Elder.”

“I wasn’t that bad!” Trixx protested.

“You set the Gathering Room on fire trying to play a prank of the Crown Princess.” Plagg snorted.

“Yes, but did anyone of us die? No,” she huffed.

Master Fu kept talking to Alya, ignoring Trixx pout. “I would like to see you promoted to lead missions in the future, but we can talk about this on a later day.”

“Thank you, Master Fu,” Alya smiled.

“You are free to go,” Master Fu nodded and watched as they left. “Nino,” Master Fu sighed, “You and Marinette are the ones who are most in trouble today.”

Nino lingered on the door Alya went through. “I know.”

“Do you have anything to say?”

“I am sorry, Marinette,” Nino turned to her. “You always get the short-end of the stick and I’m sorry. I’m sorry about everything…about your wing, too. I didn’t say it earlier but I am.”

“I’m sorry, too.”

“You are?”

“Of course. We didn’t get to those wines you bought,” she grinned lightly, chuckling alongside him despite Wayzz and Tikki’s frowns.

“Maybe in a year, then,” Nino smirked. “And I’ll buy. So,” Nino winked at Adrien’s frown, “don’t worry, bro.”

The lightheartedness of the conversation cooled the tension. Master Fu did not completely like the Queen’s punishment on Nino or Marinette, but he must follow through. “For now, as mentioned by the Queen, you are on probation.”

“I understand.”

“In addition, you will not receive missions into the Tear or akuma tracking.”

“W-what?!”

“You were tricked by Le Peon into believing Marinette ran through the Tear – not completely your fault but we must hone your ability to see through illusions.”

“Yes, Master Fu.”

“Wayzz will lead you into a new session of training next week. Your ban will be up for review in a year time. Until then, behave and, perhaps, the ban will be lifted.”

“I…yes, Master Fu,” Nino resigned.

“You are free to leave,” Master Fu nodded. Wayzz led Nino out of the room and down the hall, leaving his Chosen behind next to the balcony when he saw Trixx and Alya waiting for them. Trixx grabbed Wayzz by the elbow and demanded they go out for dinner.

Nino took his hat off, his body swayed with emotion as he took a step to Alya. “I’m sorry,” he said, “for leaving. I…you…I was prepared to lose you,” Nino admitted, shaking as she kept her head down. “When I met you, I thought this wasn’t going to last for more than six months, at most. I thought, ‘she was going to find someone better.’ I tried to not fall in love with you, but you…you were so funny and smart and I lost my breath every time I saw you, and I knew that I had to keep you in my life as long as I could.”

“Nino,” Alya smiled but he was so busy tugging at his hat to notice as he rambled on.

“I fell in love with you so quickly. I realized I wanted to be with you, share my life with you the first time we went grocery shopping. I want to go grocery shopping with you for the rest of my life but I kept reminding myself that this, us, was temporary. You’re a Werefox. Your mate was out there in the world somewhere looking for you and you for them, and I just accepted that. Someone out there was going to make you happier than I ever could, and it pained me to think that but I love you so much and that was all I ever wanted. I want you to be happy, Alya.”

“Nino.”

“Then out of nowhere, you sprang up that I was your mate and I got scared.” Nino looked up, his eyes rimmed red. “I was scared that I wasn’t going to be good enough to be your mate because, damnit, I want to be your mate. I want to be with you for the rest of our lives and-” Alya’s lips interrupted his, kissing him until he pressed back tenderly.

“I want to go grocery shopping with you for the rest of my life, too.” Alya confessed, “Even before I knew you were my mate.”

“W-what?”

Alya tapped her nose, “you keep your scent hidden, remember?”

Nino blushed and dumbly explained, “I-I do it for mission…reasons. Remember?”

“I know, but I never had a chance to smell it, to realize you’re my mate until last year.” Alya smiled and leaned up to kiss him again, “I loved you before I knew you were my mate.”

~o~o~o~o~

Wearily, Master Fu rubbed his temple, not knowing where to begin with Marinette and Adrien. He decided Adrien would be easier, “Your reprimand will be light, Adrien, due to the amount of responsibilities you now have as Alpha. You will not serve as a Guard anymore. A short-lived career I am sure you won’t miss.”

Adrien bit back his protest, looking at Marinette in concern. He wanted to be a Guard to stay by Marinette’s side. He naturally assumed he would be her Second-in-Command, but understood as well that he could not be a Chosen, Alpha, and a Guard all at once. Especially since being a Guard would mean pledging a small amount of allegiance to the Queen and, as Alpha, he could not do that when his pack already has an allegiance to the French flag. Still, he was hesitating.

“Plagg will be responsible of you in your transition to Alpha and your activity as a Chosen, as for the Miraculous Stone, you will have bi-weekly sessions with me to learn how to control your newfound powers.”

Instead of dismissing him as Adrien assumed he would, Master Fu turned to Marinette. “Marinette, as of right now, you have three years of monitoring including a year of probation, similar to Nino.”

“As of right now?” She asked.

“I will speak to the Queen to lessen your punishment.” Master Fu smiled, “However, for now, you must report your movements if you are leaving the city to the Higher Courts, weekly sessions with me, rehabilitation with Tikki after your wing is healed completely, and no missions until a Second is established.”

“Why can’t Luka be her Second?” Tikki asked to which Plagg laughed as Adrien choked on his own saliva.

“Because my cub will have a stroke if the elf is around her,” Plagg teased, patting Adrien’s shoulder.

“So she won’t go on missions at all because Adrien doesn’t like Luka?” Tikki scoffed.

“Adrien doesn’t like Luka because he kissed Marinette,” Plagg explained.

“Well, that’s a good reason to stop my Chosen’s career,” Tikki scowled.

“Take it outside,” Master Fu stood up, “We are done.”

“Master Fu,” Marinette called for him, standing up as he passed her.

“We will speak later on that matter, Chosen Dupain-Cheng.” Master Fu smiled secretly.

“Come on,” Plagg pulled Tikki, “If we’re lucky, we can make our dinner reservation.”

“Fine,” Tikki huffed, making her way to the door when she noticed neither Adrien nor Marinette moved. “Are you-”

“They need to talk,” Plagg said, guiding Tikki through the double doors after Master Fu.

“Wait,” she dug her feet into the ground.

“He confessed to her,” Plagg pushed her again.

“What?! Wait! He did!” Tikki joyful shouts were heard until the door closed behind her.

Marinette and Adrien stared at each other silently, wondering where to start. The smell of the incenses lit by Pollen crept through the room and the candlelight flickered shadows on the wall, across their faces.

Adrien watched as she touched her side again, there was no blood but she must have been sore after the royal guard set her down. He also noticed she changed. The pink dress she wore was replaced with a pale cream dress that flared out at her hips. There was a cutout on the back, revealing the tan lines of her wings.

While he studied her she studied him, from the downturn of his lips, his furrow eyebrows, and tense jaw, to the large visible scar on his chin. The scar that not only ended his modeling career but also hinted to her that she was his mate according to his future-self. How blind was she? She blushed and tried to look away but, for the first time, she was able to fully read him well to understand what he was feeling. 

His chair creaked as he stood. He made a step to the right, towards the end of the room opposite of the doors, wanting to go around the large table to get to her but also giving her a chance to run.

“I’m your…mate?” She started, not wanting another misunderstanding or another flare of hope to rise in her.

Adrien paused and the smile he gave her was warm and tender, “you are.”

Her hands were shaking on her lap. “We've known each other for five years,” she spoke as he took another step, “Why didn’t you say anything before? Did you – did you not want me to be your-”

“I did!” Adrien shouted, stumbling over himself. “I’ve been waiting for you since Master Fu told me when I was a kid that my mate was a fae. I wanted to tell you since you first crashed into me five years ago.”

“Then, why didn’t you?”

“I…I tried,” he said lamely. “I went to your parents’ bakery to tell you, but I spilled flour all over you instead. At the Royal Ball, every single time I attended with you something happened that ended the night early for us. I wanted to tell you after the Were games, too. I always tried to tell you but something continuously interrupts me: an akuma, the Queen, a mission. Every time I asked to meet up with you, I plan to tell you but…it never happens. I...backed out,” he grumbled. He was rounding where the Queen sat. “I kept waiting for the right moment, too. I wanted it to be special – memorable – when I should’ve told you right away. Telling you was more important.”

“What about Kagami?”

“Eh? What about her?”

“Weren’t you engaged to her?”

Adrien paled, realizing that neither he nor anyone actually told Marinette that was a rumor started from a distant relative from Kagami’s family. “No!” He shouted, rushing over to her. The quick movement startled her and she rounded the table until they were opposite side of each other.

“No,” he said more calmly, trying to get close to her but she kept the distance between them. “That was a rumor started from her family when she said she was engaged but didn’t tell anyone who it was. They assumed it was me but it wasn’t true. Rumors spread and the gossip column reported it. When it was corrected you were…you left,” he smiled at her, a pain behind his eyes. “She’s marrying some fencing prodigy from Brazil. I told her about you. We’re invited to the wedding.” She stopped walking around the table and he took small steps to her again, “That three-month mission in the tear after the Were games, you took it because of that rumor?”

Marinette jolted and moved away from him again. “I didn’t just take the mission because of the rumor,” she weakly hissed but it came out as a soft whisper, “I took it because it was asked and expected of me as Lead Guard.” She looked down at her hands, “I took it because I felt I did not have control over my life. I took it because I realized not only was I in love with you but my heart just broke.”

“Was?” Adrien mumbled, rushing to her again and she moved around the table again. “Marinette, are you not in love with me anymore?” He took long strides around the table and she hopped over to the other side before he could grab her. His heart was pounding, dreading to know the answer, wondering if he lost her to Luka already.

“Why did you wait so long to tell me?” She asked again, but it was mostly directed towards herself. “I felt so…silly for wanting to be with you because everyone practically said Weres claim non-Were mates within a year. There were no reported incidents of a Were not doing so. They kept saying that and I listened to them.” He smelt her tears budding from the corner of her eyes and felt distressed. “It made sense and it’s my fault for listening to them. Even so, I did. I was only falling deeper in love with you because I kept seeing hints and signs, and I wanted to say something but after a while, I accepted that it wasn’t going to happen because, at that time, it had been four years and….”

“I-” he gulped, knowing it was true. Even though he and everyone hinted that he was her mate, subtle comments could only get so far.

“I was confused. You touched me like I was something more to you but never said anything about it during those times. I thought Kagami was your mate so I tried to be respectfully and distance myself. I tried avoiding you, taking missions, burying myself in work, going on dates,” she heard wood snap next to her and turned to her left.

He was two meters away, a hard feral gleam in his eyes. The chair he was gripping was broken as jealousy steamed from him but he bit back his growl. He scared most of her suitors away except for Luka who was as dense as she was according to Alya. She touched his hand clawing into the chair and gently convinced him to release it. “I’ve noticed,” his voice low, “You avoiding me.”

“I thought it was hopeless and I just wanted to stop being in love with you,” she chuckled sadly. “I was so determined that I even threw myself in danger because physical pain was better than what I was feeling.”

“Marinette.”

“And I’m sorry for that. I really am. I know I worried you…everyone.”

Adrien had difficulty staying focus when his instinct screamed at him to comfort his mate, claim her so others stay away, and shower her with his love and affection that has been accumulating inside of him for years that they both have been deprived. “Mari, please,” he was able to grab her hand and give a tug, “Please, still be in love with me.”

“It never felt right,” Marinette admitted. A flash of cold dread swept through him until she took a step into his arms, resting her head on his chest. “It never felt right not to love you.”

He hugged her fiercely, squeezed his eyes tight as he gave breathless chuckles that soon became an excited shout and a sonnet of laughter. He gave her a twirl before pulling away slightly to kiss her as profoundly as he could, kissing their pain and sorrow better. Between and around them, he felt wind stirring as pure magic was released from her.

“I'll make it up to you."

"You don't need to."

"I want to. I want to kiss everything better because I love you,” he repeated over and over again between kisses until finally, after a long knee-weakening and fluttering inducing kiss he said, “and you’re my mate.”

“I’m your mate,” she mimicked the words that felt like mint on her lips, “and you’re mine?”

“I’m yours.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay. They did it.   
> Next chapter will feature sin/lemon/smut.


	25. Something Sweet (Rated E)

“Everyone in the city is going to know tomorrow morning. Gorilla isn’t good at keeping secrets.” Adrien said, waving at his father’s advisor who was leaving the rooftop, leaving him alone with Marinette. He took his jacket off and placed it on her shoulders, kissing her cheek. His scent was already intermingling with hers.

“I’m surprised. He seems like a man of secrets,” Marinette smiled, tugging his jacket closer. The rooftop garden they stood in was overwhelming filled with budding plants, cascading down the railing and pooling on the floor. The stars gleamed happily in the cloud-free sky as the wind chilled them slightly. “Should we keep this a secret?”

“No!” He exclaimed, the top of his cheeks red but the pleased smirk he had told her of the fluttering bliss coiling in him. “But what about you?”

“What about me?”

“Do you want to keep this – us a secret?”

“No.”

“Then, everyone is going to get a nice surprise tomorrow when they found out we eloped.”

“I thought Weres were basically married the moment they find their mates.”

“Most of the time.”

“Most?”

“Well, there are the cases of finding your mate when you’re an adolescent.”

“Like you?”

“Like me,” Adrien reached to stroke her cheek. “The desire to claim doesn’t hit until late puberty and you’re only considered married in my culture when you stake your claim. But we do have adolescent claims.”

“Which is?”

“When we mark our mate with our scent, which is what I kind of did after the whole time traveling akuma.” Adrien laughed nervously, recoiling at her finger that poked his side.

“See. It was those kinds of actions that made me so confused,” Marinette pinched him lightly, a grin on her face, “But, since we're married, it's fine. So, that’s the only time Weres aren’t married right away after finding their mate?”

“No, there is also the consideration of when a mate is non-Weres.”

“And what’s the consideration with non-Weres mates?”

“Well, they always insist on waiting to know someone for two to four years before the wedding.”

“Hm, I wondered if we should have waited then,” she teased.

“Oh, no, thank you. I waited long enough and I prefer the way this worked out.”

“You do?”

“Of course! We’re married,” Adrien said in awe and repeated the phase in an excited shout, “We’re married!” He hugged her again, kissing her for the hundredth time that night since he revealed to her she was his mate. He felt her gasp when he lifted her up from the ground and gave an excited twirl. “We’re married,” he sighed again, setting her down. “Marinette,” he almost didn’t believe it, “we’re married.”

“We are,” she chuckled and jumped when he kissed her deeply.

When she suggested marriage back when they were in the Gathering Room, she meant it as a light-hearted joke to lightened the seriousness of their conversation. However, Adrien saw the opportunity and took it. He told her that Gorilla was an ordained senior in his pack and was able to marry them tonight if they wanted to, and Marinette only nodded with a dazed look.

Adrien left a messy note for their Elders and Master Fu saying they were going to get married in the Common Lands and Marinette opened a portal. Besides Gorilla, they only needed one witness who became Natalie, his father’s longest employee and pack manager. She was the one who suggested holding the ceremony on the rooftop garden at his newly bought townhouse.

They both agreed a year from now they will have a proper wedding with their family and friends, but for now, they wanted this. Her hair was quickly braided and done up. Diamond-tipped pins he bought for her a year ago that were stored away in the bottom of his drawer were pulled out and barely held her hair in place as tiny buds flowers decorated her black locks. They deemed the cream dress she wore was well enough for the ceremony while he had to quickly change into a nice pair of slacks and slick his hair back.

In ten minutes, the ceremony was over. Natalie had the paperwork ready for them to sign, which they did, and took them away to get processed by a pack member that worked in city hall. Now, they stood alone but together. There was a fluttering of nerves and happiness in her when he pulled away. He kissed her cheeks and inner wrists before he brought her close; swaying to the song the street performer was playing floors below them.

She was flush pink and gripped his shoulders, pressing her cheek to his chest. She shut her eyes at the sensation of his fingers pulling at the tips of her hair, undoing the pins. She heard the low purr emitting from his chest. “They’re going to be upset we didn’t invite them,” she whispered.

Adrien hummed and cradling her closer, finally fulfilling the urge to touch her as freely as he always wanted to. “Not so upset, I hope.”

He was slowly giving in to her heat; the spiced scent was already being out the feral side of him that he pushed aside for the last three hours. His mouth has been salivating for her taste and his hands fidgeted to grasp her tightly. Prior to them eloping, he had her pressed against the wall at the Gathering Room, fully intended to mate with her against the wall or on the table if she was willing. When her marriage comment came forth, it brought a greater want from him. Being wedded to her, officially being husband and wife, was a fantasy he had since he was sixteen and he desired it so that it took over his need to mate – for only a moment.

He kept glancing at her neck, imagining his claim on her supple skin, and wanted to complete the requirements for being a mated couple.

“Next year,” she said, allowing him to pull her to a lush daybed surrounded by plump hedges.

“Next year,” he agreed, “We’ll even have a nice party for them.”

“With no wine,” Marinette chuckled.

“Well, for you and Nino,” Adrien teased. “Don’t group us with you guys.”  
  
“They’re really going to be mad at me. Not even a full day,” she hummed, her arms around his neck, “and I already broke the monitoring ban they have me on.”

“They’ll live. Especially since they’ll have to void the ban. I’m Alpha. I need to stay in Paris with my pack and you’re my mate, female Alpha, and Luna, to my pack.”

“Female Alpha?”

“In Were pack layman terms, alphas are only mated to other alphas. I’m alpha, thus, you, as my mate, are alpha.”

“And I have to stay with you,” Marinette hummed against his kiss.

“Yes, you do.”

“Ah, but you do know that ban has no concrete hold on me, right?”

Adrien leaned away only a tiny fraction, “what?”

“I am not a citizen of the Royal Realm,” Marinette grinned, “All I need to do is quit my position as Guard and the ban – in addition to the probation – are lifted. Technically. The Queen can only advise Chosens and Elders.”

Adrien chuckled, “was that the reason you wanted to speak with Master Fu after the meeting?”

“Yes, but it seems this conversation was more important.”

“De-feline-lity more important.”

“Ah, wait, to be alpha of your pack…don't we need to com-paw-lete the mating ceremony?” she asked, her pheromones were lush in the air and Adrien was getting drunk off her pun. A rush of heat went through him as she spoke against his cheek. “Get officiated by an ordained pack membe-purr and claim each other?”

“Please,” Adrien grinned sluggishly, “Mercy.”

“So? Is it?”

“Normally it’s not in that order,” he chuckled eagerly, his grip steady on her. Her cheeks were flushed innocently but Adrien smelt her arousal. “Do you want my claim that badly?” He asked in a joking manner, hoping the question would make her shy so he can catch his wit but her response punched him in the stomach.

“Des-purr-ately.”

Adrien inhaled sharply, blinking down at her, he was so overwhelmed by his instinctual need that he did not remember how they went from standing to her being under him with her dress pushed up to right under her breasts. “I-I need to slow down,” he muttered, gulping as he traced her leg with hand.

“Slow down?” She almost whined, shivering as his hand settled on her hip.

“I’ve wanted to be with you for so long and your puns aren’t helping me keep a calm head,” his hand dipped into her waist, squeezing at her giggle. “I almost rushed in without savoring you. I want to remember every detail of this moment.” His thumb rubbed the skin underneath the dress, “I love you.”

Embarrassed, she gave a pretty pout but leaned up to kiss him, “I love you, too.”

He was tempted to just cuddle with her for the rest of the night and read all the sonnets he wrote to her if it wasn’t for the coiling spring heat that was dragging his attention back to her curved hips. Take it slow, he told himself as placed his hands on her thighs, gulping as he pushed the dress back up again until it was dropped on to the ground next to them.

Marinette quirked a smile, he was focusing determinedly only on her face. “You can look, you know,” she laughed when his eyes darted down and he flushed.

“Marinette,” he grumbled, kissing her cheek and side of her neck, hearing her gasp. “It’s not funny.” He pushed them back down to the daybed. He was thankful the canopy shielded them from the cool wind while his own natural temperature kept them warm during this calm spring night. He leaned back to look at her, his mouth salivating even more and his cock straining in his pantsuit. She was pale skin splashed with freckles, hearty thighs and hips with a cinched waist. He stopped at the various scars she had, some newer than others. He kissed each one he found.

By the time he reached her chest, she was trembling and flushed, panting as he swiped his thumb under the plum of her right breast, over the dusty rose nipple that hardened under his touch. Never was he more thankful that she didn’t wear a bra.

“You’re drooling,” she stated, wiping his mouth with her thumb.

He pouted before saying, “I like my sweets.” He captured a nipple and curled his toes at her soft cry. He was only able to lap at it for a moment before pulling away breathless, her arousal was amplified by her heat and not only did he feel his cock enlarging with blood but his fangs, too.

He froze when her hands combed through his hair and stroke the cat ears that popped out. “Excited, Chaton?” She asked with a haughty chuckle. He was about to ground his hips against her when she stopped him. “If you do that you’ll get stains on your nice clothes.” His answer was the shuck them off. “Adrien!” She was blushing madly, her hands on his to stop the unbuttoning of his pants.

He kissed her, one hand buried in her hair as he led her hands to unbutton his pants and push them off his hips and down his legs. He felt her snort of giggles on his neck when she brushed over his whipping tail. “Hey,” he growled, “you should be grateful I’m not going all feral on you.”

“Just partial?” She slid her hands over his thighs, pushing his pants down far enough that he can fling them off.

“You’re nervous,” he stated, hearing her heart almost bursting out of her chest.

“Excited,” she corrected, her lips on his shoulder.

“You have to break skin,” he told her, his fingers anchored on her panties and slid them off. “Bite hard,” he reminded her, shuddering at her pheromones. “You don’t have fangs like I do, remember.”

“Are you sure?”

“Marinette,” he stated seriously, “I am more than sure. I’ve wanted this since we’ve met. “

“Okay.”

“I will give you anything, I promise, anything just as long as you claim me.”

“I-I get it,” she chuckled.

“I have more than three dozen fantasies and scenarios on how I planned for this to happen and the way it’s happening now outshines them all.”

“Adrien!” she cried out, covering his mouth with her hand, cheeks a bright red. “I get it.” His eyes softened and he nipped her hand.

“So?” He grinned once she removed her hand.

“You have to tell me when it starts to hurt,” she said, closing her eyes as she pressed her lips against his shoulder, she felt the coiling muscles underneath his skin. She laughed when she realized how small her jaw was compared to his shoulder. She tried again. She only bit hard when he told her too and when she broke skin he told her to bite even harder.

The pain was a short-lived moment when blossoming warmth winded him. Adrien had a grip on her hip, his head pressed beside her, and he thrust against her heat at the first jerk of his impending climax. His growls turned into groans as he kept thrusting against her plump lower lips, his head brushing against her clit that had her squirming and biting even firmer. His heart was stamping against his chest until he moaned and came.

His toes clenched as spurts of his cum landed on her soft stomach and thighs. He felt the base of his cock engorged with his knot and he reached down to squeeze it, release some tension that was eating at him. He was surprised at the size, and only imagined it was due to Marinette and her thirst-quenching presence. He rubbed his length once, twice, and gushed out more steaming ooze on her when she reached for his length and spread her thighs wide.

He noticed some fell on her core due to her gasp and sat up, tugging her swollen lip to the side to watch his cum travel down from her clit and stream over her entrance. The image burned into his mind, pleasing the beast within him. It was so satisfying and relieving that he wanted to bask in the moment, in her, for a while.

However, his mate was impatient. She sat up to kiss him, dragging him down to lean over her as she fitted him between her. She huffed a laugh at the sensation of his tail wrapping around her right knee. He kissed her smile away, his hand interlacing with hers as he guided himself to her.

“On your stomach,” he said suddenly.

“My stomach?”

“Sounds better than hands and knees,” he smirked, directing her to turn over and pulling her hips up and steady against his groin.

“You’re such a cat,” She blushed and perked an eyebrow at him, amused at his timid but determined nod.

“I am,” he agreed, the head of his sweltering length bumped her entrance. Her gasp sent a wave of heat through him, his heart thumping with nerves and excitement. He leaned forward, peering down at her and her impish smile.

“Satisfied, Alley Cat?”

“Not yet,” he nudged her shoulder with his cheek, indicating to the tan outline of her wings curving over her shoulders and ribcage. “Your wings. Will they get hurt?”

“No, it’s part of my skin,” she reached to push her hair to the side, “They only become physical forms when I open them.”

“So, think of it as a tattoo?”

She nodded, closing her eyes when his lips touched her left shoulder, “Will it hurt?”

“At first,” he admitted, his fangs scraped her skin lightly, tapping it once before sinking in, puncturing her shoulder deeply until blood leaked.

She tensed at the pain, biting her lip until warmth flushed over her, a magic she never felt before. Soon, she was arching as pleasure filled her, making her gasp as it sung through her body. She did not understand why it was pleasurable, but she gripped the blanket laid out underneath her as an orgasm raced through her and her essence poured from between her thighs. She felt him rut against her, his length heavy against her, rubbing between her creamy thighs.

Adrien let go and almost choked at her whine, he pressed a tender kiss on her shoulder. The puncture wounds beginning to heal due to the nature of the ritual and magic. She tasted her blood on his lips when he kissed her again, his eyes were the yellow of glowing lanterns bearing down at her when he grinned and rubbed against her weeping core.

He licked his lips, “Nice perk, isn’t it?”

“It is,” she moaned, bowing and gasping at his cock flush against her. It was so warm. “Why?” She asked, following the movements of his hips grinding on him.

“There has to be pleasure when claiming,” Adrien said, glancing down at her core, “so I heard, otherwise why be willing to do it?” He kissed her cheek and then his claim. A carnage satisfaction yowled in him. Not only was his claim beating vibrantly on her shoulder, but she was also covered with his cum, his musk mixed with her own scent just as hers mixed with his. “Spread them a little more,” he tapped her thighs, chuckling at her frown. “Please?”

She watched him squirm a bit and smiled, “only because you remembered your manners.”

“I should say ‘please’ more often then,” he grinned, licking his lips as she did. “Ready, Lovebug?”

She trembled, digging her fingernails into the daybed. “I love you,” she answered.

The tender response shook him, happiness swelled inside his chest. He kissed her cheek and neck, “I’ve dreamed of being here with you like this.”

She threw her hand back and smacked him lightly, laughter trickling her voice, “What a charmer you are.”

“It’s true,” he tilted her to her side. She was flush and glowing. He pressed his forehead against hers, “I’ve always dreamed of you.”

“Of being between my thighs?”

“No,” he sputtered but looked askance, “well, yes, but I’ve dreamt of more than that.”

“I spelled myself to not dream about you.”

“Marinette,” Adrien groaned in exasperation.

Her smile was cheeky, “I had to.”

“You had to?”

“Dream-you wouldn’t leave me alone.”

“What would Dream-me do?”

“Hug me,” she said, feeling him nuzzled her cheek. “Kiss me,” her lips grazed over his lightly, “always showing up with ice cream sundaes and telling me I’m his mate out of nowhere.”

Adrien pulled back with a pout but her eyes were twinkling in mischief. He tugged a lock of her hair and told her, “You’re my mate.” He nudged her back to her chest.

“I am?” she teased back, her skin tingling and tightening when his warm palm encased her thigh.

“You are.” He kissed his claim on her again. Pressing inside of her slowly, she was entirely drenched in her own juices and the excretion he was leaking made it easy for him to slip inside. She enclosed him tightly, her tight entrance molding over his bulbous head that had her whining and moaning, sounds that were like musical odes.

“Tight,” she gasped, shutting her eyes when he paused.

“I know,” he chuckled, letting her slap his side lightly. “Relax,” he said, his fingers gliding over her clit and rubbing small circles as more slick juices streamed from her.

“It feels good,” she exclaimed, toes curling when he moved forward again, adjusting to his girth.

He almost came from her confession.

“Does it?” Adrien moaned.

She nodded as he slowly continued forward. He hissed, enclosing his hand over hers, pushing until he filled her completely and his sack slapped against her molting skin. He felt the inner beast within him cry in triumph, again, a primal and possessive satisfaction that goaded him to move his hips, relishing in the sound of his skin smacking against her crudely.

He was throbbing in her. Every firm pound against her soft bottom was overwhelming, sparking a flame in her that had her pushing back into him. Meeting his hips eagerly, clenching her walls around him whenever he rubbed the tiny acorn size spot in her canal.

Her breathing was uneven, limbs jerking at every pleasurable ram of his bulky length. When she looked over her shoulder, he spellbound her. The starry night bathed him in an unearthly glow, his eyes a burning green, focused and foregone as if nothing was going to tear his attention from her. She doubted even an akuma could tear him from her.

“Adrien,” she gasped, her stomach tightening and coiling.

What began as a steady rhythm of him thrusting into her, ensuring she felt every centimeter of him with every thick vein and curve, melded into a fast tempo that had them gasping, moaning, and grunting. Every time she tried to prop onto her forearms he pushed her down with his body, pinning her down possessively.

“Adrien,” she whined, feeling him holding her down securely, rutting short and deep thrusts.

“That’s it,” his voice was heavy, her heat was blinding him and he inhaled sharply. He pounded into her at an angle that had her squirming; his hold on her hips was strong and forceful.

The gratification of each stroke caused tears to prickle her eyes, and when she thought she could take no more, she felt his lips on her shoulder. “Adrien,” she cried out his name when he lightly nipped her shoulder where his claim laid.

Her orgasm washed over her in a profuse musk, pulsing and constricting over him, pulling him deeper into her as the thick honey of her orgasm rushed out and stained her thighs and his length.

“Mari,” he growled, cursing as his cock swelled, his knot enlarging and stroking her tightened heat, causing her to jerk as it prolonged her pleasure. “Lovebug, I’m cumming. Can I?”

“Please,” she bit her bottom lip, “Cum inside of me.”

He kissed her shoulder, rammed into her once, twice more and then came. His cum came out in burning spurts, filling her with the copious fluid until it spilled from her. Every time she thought he stopped she felt another flood of his cum in her, it came in plentiful surges that had her humming.

As the waves of blissfulness left her in a warm afterglow, she felt him jerk in her and noticed that his groin was still pressed against her rump and he couldn’t pull out. She lifted her head and grinned with a breathy laugh, “Stuck?”

“Yeah,” he chuckled with an embarrassed look, huffing and groaning as another spurt came from him. “Might…be a while.” Marinette nodded, resting her cheek on the daybed, moaning in satisfaction with every additional shot his cum. “It seems like you’re not complaining.”

“It feels nice,” she answered, grinding her ass on him. She heard him hiss before meeting his kiss and gasping as he twisted her around, still sheath in her. She laughed at his groan but was silenced by his lips.

Their claims on each other still tingled pleasantly, a sensation that will never quite go away. However, it was a strong reminder to the both of them that they were officially a mated couple and it brought bright smiles to their faces as they laid under the Paris night sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mazel Tov
> 
> Next chapter: fluff and slice of life


	26. Sleepover

“You two got married,” Nino stated.

“We did,” Adrien chuckled, “Why are you still surprised? It’s been five months.”

“I’m not. It’s more like, ‘Oh yeah, my childhood friend and best friend are married.’ Like, I know but I don’t. What I do know, even five months after, is the look on the Queen’s face when Marinette sent her letter of resignation.” Nino squealed, “Oh! I wish you were there to see her face. She was angry. Enraged? Infuriated? Whatever means she was really pissed.”

“She probably still is, too,” Alya chirped in, walking towards them. The setting sun cast a warm glow over her. Summer winds were picking up and today was Marinette’s last day in flight rehabilitation.

“Where’s Mari?” Adrien asked, looking over her shoulder. He was not able to take Marinette to her last hospital appointment. He tried to cancel his meeting with the other pack leaders, but Marinette and Natalie both veto that decision. Marinette insisted she was fine going alone. When Chloe heard wind of that she showed up on their doorstep with Alya ready to accompany her.

“Chloe forgot her phone. Mari went with her to get it and told me to go ahead.”

“What did the doctor said?”

“Is a witch doctor even considered as a doctor?” Nino asked out loud.

“She made a full recovery. She can now go back to doing air somersaults and skydives again.” Alya snickered at Adrien’s pale face. “Nervous?”

“No?” Adrien laughed.

“That’s a lie,” Alya barked in laughter.

Since being official recognized as a mated couple, Adrien had become considerately more protective of Marinette to the point he had pack members guard her. She found out an hour later and, as a prank, met up with Nino and hugged him. His pack members reported back and Adrien sprinted to the café they were in, eyes brimming with gold, to have jealousy replaced with embarrassment when they waved at him.

He did not assign pack member to follow her again.

“Chloe is pissed,” Alya mentioned, her nose picking up the sourness in Chloe’s overly sweet scent.

Adrien turned to the glass door of the hospital. Taking a breath, he filtered through the smells. “She is,” Adrien agreed. He could tell Marinette was getting closer and Chloe was by her side fuming about something. “Marinette isn’t.”

“No, she smells nervous, though?”

“Magic?” Nino blinked, looking around.

“Magic?”

Nino met the eyes of a man from across the street, “Magic.”

“Chosen Lahiffe of Morocco,” the man saluted after he crossed the street.

“I was born and raised in Paris,” Nino corrected.

“I am Theo from Royal City,” the man continued, “baring a message from her royal highness, my Queen, of the Avon.”

“About what?” Nino accepted the envelope handed to him but watched incredulously as Theo gave a quick nod and walked away. “Hey! Wait! What’s this about!?”

“Open the letter to find out,” Alya hissed, grabbing the letter from Nino to open it herself.

“What does it say?” Adrien peered over Alya’s shoulder.

Nino grabbed the letter before Alya could read it, “It says the Queen wants an audience with me regarding a five-month mission into the Tear.”

“What!?” Alya took the letter back, “Hell no. Hell! No! He’s not going to a five-month death mission! You are not going on a five-month death mission!”

“Alya,” Nino sighed.

“Are you thinking about it?!” She asked and turned to Adrien, “Tell me he isn’t thinking about it.”

“Alya,” Nino grabbed her forearms and gave her smile, “Chill.”

“You chill!

“They’re here,” Adrien stated, turning to the glass doors.

“I’m telling them!” Chloe’s shout echoed through the street as she stormed out the doors.

“Chloe,” Marinette tried to calm her down as Adrien went to her side, but Chloe huffed louder.

“Tell who what?” Alya asked, looking at Nino wearily.

“Are you going to tell them!?” Chloe asked Marinette.

“Yes,” Marinette held her hands up, leaning into Adrien’s kiss on her cheek, “but I w-”

“An agent from the Queen’s palace stopped us on our way out,” Chloe announced.

“What?!” The rest exclaimed and they all started to talk at once.

Marinette took a step back, unnerved until Adrien grabbed her hand. “Did they do anything to you,” Adrien looked her over but did not see a hair misplaced. “Mari?”

“I’m fine.”

“He had a message from the Queen,” Chloe pushed on.

“He?”

“Nathaniel,” Marinette said, feeling Adrien’s hand tighten over hers. She rolled her eyes at him with an unimpressed smile.

“They want Marinette to take a five-month mission into the Tear to investigate something,” Chloe said.

“A mission!?” Adrien growled.

“Like Nino,” Alya growled, too.

“You, too?” Marinette asked Nino.

“Yeah, it looks serious.” Nino said somberly, “What do you think?”

“The fact that she asked us and not her new Lead Guards is interesting.”

“It’s a mission for guards with experience.”

“No!” Alya glared at the both of them, wagging her finger at them. “No! No. It’s not interesting and you two are not interested. Really, what is her problem?” Alya continued to gruff, “After what Mari and Nino have been through under her command and she wants to send them back into the Tear? Mari just got better!”

“That’s what I said!” Chloe agreed loudly.

Marinette looked around the plaza and cleared her throat, “Perhaps we should talk about this elsewhere.”

“Yeah,” Nino agreed, “somewhere that isn’t…public.”

Chloe scowled at some people that were staring but, eventually, they all agreed to head to the Council Gathering Room at Fable Hall.

After Marinette and Nino’s departure from the Queen’s Court of Guards, Tikki had moved from the Realm back to Paris to be with Plagg again. They were both in their offices at Fable Hall and were informed by the front desk that their Chosens have requested the Gathering Room and their presence. When they arrived, they frowned at the tension in the room.

“We didn’t want to start until you two were here,” Alya clarified.

“Start on what?” Tikki asked.

“What did you do now?” Plagg asked immediately after, looking at his Chosen who shook his head. “Knocked her up already?”

“Plagg!” Tikki gasped scandalously, but she peered at Marinette who was a beacon of red. With a shake of Marinette’s head, Tikki pouted and took her seat.

“This is serious,” Adrien stated with his own blush.

“So, you haven’t done anything?” Plagg asked again.

“Nothing,” Nino stated and held his hands up, “yet?”

Tikki frowned and pin her gaze on her Chosen, “Marinette?”

“Two agents from the Queen showed up to my last appointed at Renaud. One met with Nino outside while the other, Nathaniel, found me inside the waiting room.”

“More like ambushed,” Chloe corrected, “When I went to grab my phone ‘Nathaniel’ took that chance to grab her arm and pull her into the hallway.”

“What?” Adrien snarled.

“Calm down,” Plagg said, “She’s right here all fine and dandy and smelling like you. So, what did the agents want?”

“The Queen wants Nino and I to take a five-month mission into the Tear,” Marinette said, looking at Tikki.

“Did you say no?” Tikki asked, taking a seat.

“I didn’t say anything,” Marinette admitted. “The agent was scared away.”

“By what?” Plagg snorted, imagining the normally muscular agents of the Queen scampering away in fear.

“By me,” Chloe snorted, “Like I’m going to allow this idiot into the Tear again without consulting everyone else.”

Plagg howled in laughter, throwing his arm around Tikki. “Cameras! The hospital has to have cameras! I need to see this!”

Chloe blushed, “oh, be quiet, old man!”

“Mine just walked away,” Nino said, flickering the letter back and forth.

“Marinette,” Tikki pushed Plagg off of her, “Nino. What do the two of you think?”

The room quieted down.

“I don’t think I will take the mission,” Nino began, hearing the sigh of relief from Alya before her choked gasp.

“Wait. Think?”

“I don’t think I will either,” Marinette agreed, jumping in before Alya could spew out more long arguments. She felt Adrien squeeze her thigh. “But, I am curious as to the purpose of the mission.” Adrien inhaled sharply.

“Yeah, me too.” Nino nodded, smiling lightly at Alya. “I need to know.”

“Why?” Alya asked, “Why do you need to know?”

“And would it matter?” Tikki asked, “knowing the purpose?”

Marinette looked at her hands. The strong sense of justice edged her to hesitate. “I don’t know,” she admitted.

 

~o~o~o~o~

  
Marinette was sprawled over the armchair in her and Adrien’s bedroom, next to the large terrace window she kept open during the summer nights. She kicked her feet back and forth, feeling the warm humid air enter the room. Thumbing the old pages of the Miraculous Journal she borrowed from Master Fu, her thoughts lingered back to the Queen’s request. She tried to focus on the explanation in the book regarding the Miraculous Talisman and Miraculous Stones, but her mind was failing her.

Both her and Nino shared the same responsibilities and duties as Chosens and former Guards regarding the mission, but the look on Alya and Adrien’s faces told them they have to pick their words and decisions carefully. She doubted Alya wasn’t voicing her opinion to Nino right now as she looked out the window.

Although, when Adrien asked her decision, she was happy to know she would tell him she will not take the mission. She couldn’t even if she wanted to, and neither could Nino. If they left, their mates would suffer. Their souls were connected now. When she had to go to London for a Council meeting with Tikki, a nine-day trip, she came back to Adrien completely exhausted with a constant migraine and on the verge of getting a cold. Within seven hours of her return, he was well rested and upbeat to the point that he took her to bed for a few pleasure-filled but physically exhausting hours.

When she asked Plagg, he said it was due to their claim still being new. Weres had the tendency of becoming extremely depressed and lonely when their mates were gone for long periods of time. The extremity lessened over the years. His claim with Tikki spanned over three decades, being away from Tikki for nine days meant terrible headaches and being irritable – livable but uncomfortable consequences to Tikki leaving his side.

She asked how they lived apart for a decade without him being ill.

Tikki said it involved a lot of phone calls throughout the day and constant crossing between borders.

Plagg blushed and Marinette laughed harder.

There was movement to the right of her and before she could take the Journal off her face, she felt lips on the tender skin of her inner elbow. Flustered, she was only able to push the Journal off when Adrien’s lips met hers in a tender greeting. The gesture, however, deepened when she gave the corner of his lips a kiss, knowing it caused a feral reaction from him.

He threw the Journal she was still holding off to the side, kissing her through her chuckles as he gripped her waist where she was ticklish. She tasted the relieved happiness on his lips, on the swipe of his tongue that asked for entrance that she granted. There was never a day where they did not end up entangled in each other’s arms, and rarely one where they were not entangled in the sheets of their bed.

Marinette gasped as Adrien peppered kisses on her cheek, down her neck and rested on his claim. Her heart strummed at his kiss as magic flowed between them, pheromones and musk rose from them. Marinette was a mixture of relief and disappointment when spring was over. Adrien’s feral instinctual need to mate with her every day, more than once if time willing, dissipated from him near the closing of spring. No matter what position they started their nude marital affair, she has always ended up on her knees, shoulders pressed to the ground with him hunched over her, rutting into her sharply and deeply until he knotted her.

Now, their loving making was versatile. She enjoyed the slow midafternoons where they find a deep release that had them smiling lovingly at each other, the titillating mornings where they teased each other before one of them had to leave for work, the gratifying nights where they explored their bodies and took time in climbing to a breathtaking undoing. Although, she would be lying if she said she did not love it when she teased him all day, filling him with desire and molting need, and have him pounce on her the moment they were in the same room.

“Before your scent gets the better of me,” he smirked as he leaned away, smug as her lips followed his. “I have a surprise.” He laughed whole heartily at her pout and tugged her up. “Come on, you’ll like it. Mardi Gras even likes it.”

“I always knew Mardi Gras would leave me for you,” Marinette declared as she thought about her back cat and allowed Adrien to tug her out the door of their bedroom. “Mardi likes food. So, is it food? Freshly caught salmon?”

Adrien smirked, “Not really.” He kissed her cheek after she gasped in surprise when he covered her eyes with his palms.

She felt his excited grin against her temple, “Why?”

“I have to, it’s a surprise…well, more for me than for you, but I know you’ll like it.”

Marinette stopped with a blush steaming on her cheeks. “If it’s honey dust, I swear, Adrien.”

“It’s not!” He roared in laughter, “But since you brought it up, it must be on your mind. I’ll get some for your next surprise. I’m curious on how it’ll taste on your skin.” Before Marinette could pinch him, he took his hands off her eyes and she blinked at the layers of sheets in front of her, enclosing over a small fortress of pillows and blankets and a fat, black cat. “Nino was telling me the other day about how he used to have sleepovers with his cousins when he was little, and they used to build small forts out of pillows and blankets. I never had a sleepover before, and I always wanted to. So, I thought….” He suddenly became embarrassed, realizing how childish this was.

“Pick out a movie,” she tiptoed and kissed his cheek, a giddy energy bouncing off of her. “And I’ll make some hot chocolate.”

Relieved, Adrien kissed her and rummaged through the listing of movies they had on their streaming service, casting it on their television screen when he picked one. They quickly changed into their sleepwear. Marinette was by his side, handing him his cup of hot chocolate, and settled down next to him right as the clock chimed eight PM.

At one point, she dozed off on him. Adrien snuggled closer to her, wrapping their large blanket around her tight as he finished her hot chocolate. Up until two hours ago, he was anxious. Wondering what she was thinking or planning to do. Sensing his energy, she smiled tenderly and kissed his cheek. Telling him not to worry. She wasn’t going to take the mission.

He felt her tug the blanket and pressed herself so close to him that he started to tip over. He laced his fingers through hers. No matter what happened, he and Marinette were always going to be right by each other sides. He would make sure of that.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boop. I'm back.


	27. Sin II (Rated E)

A clattering of pens jolted Marinette up from her desk. She smoothed the drool from the corner of her lips and looked around the work studio, groaning at the dark sky. “Not again,” she muttered, patting around for her phone that refused to turn on.

Of course, it was out of batteries.

Ever since she quit being a Guard, Marinette was able to return to her passion: fashion designing. That meant many things for her and Adrien’s life. Bundles of fabric laying around the house, a needle or two poking them, and her accidentally staying in the work studio at her school late at night without letting Adrien know and him purposely dragging her home with a frown.

Maybe Adrien won’t be so upset with her this time?

After all, it can’t be that late and he knew she was in the work studio and not accidentally hunting akumas with Nino that one time when she needed his opinion on street fashion. Anyways, when she decided to take her nap, it was almost seven. Marinette ditched that idea when she rummaged though the work studio and found a digital clock signaling it was five to midnight. 

Oh, he was going to be very upset and if word got out, so will her new Pack.

There was something about being a non-were alpha that made her going out without bodyguards a controversy in the pack – more so at night. Natalie mentioned it was due to many weres believing non-weres were naturally weaker than them and them having a strong instinct to protect their weaker mates.

Even Adrien, long before they became a couple and knowing that she was stronger magically and was well equipped to walk home at night, always made it a priority to walk her home or have a trusted friend or pack member walk with her. Once mated, and despite his attempt to kept his thoughts to himself, the need to protect her strengthen and she saw his instinct bleed into his facial expression whenever she was in an uncomfortable situation.

Sometimes she would get into the uncomfortable situation just to see him squirm because it was a little funny and she liked to tease him.

So, while she declined to have bodyguards - knowing full well she would be the one to protect them if anything happened because she was a Chosen after all - she met him and the pack halfway by always keeping Adrien aware of her whereabouts, and him vice versa. They even shared an online agenda now.

Marinette quickly collected her things, stuffing her materials in the drawers and grabbing her phone and keys in her purse while she threw on Adrien’s bomber jacket. It was big but warm.

She looked around the room once more and then at the clock. “Maybe I should go to my parents,” she drily chuckled, imagining Adrien’s eyebrows drawn and tail flickering in annoyance and the rest of the pack’s anxious gazes.

A yowl from the door scared her, sending a throb of panic straight through her heart. She dropped nearly everything she was holding and quickly turned to the source of the noise. She gave a strained smile when she saw in the doorway a black shadow of a cat flicking its tail back and forth.

“Adrien!” She waved guilty at him, “w-what are you doing here?”

He yowled.

“Oh, um, yeah. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry. I just woke up a few minutes ago and was going home right now.”

He meowed again and walked forward.

“My phone died,” she answered him.

He gave another flick of his tail and sighed. As he crossed the shadow between the large windows, he morphed. Marinette bit the corner of her lip in the discomfort of hearing bone break and snap as he grunted and became a human man, albeit a naked human man.

“You’re fine?” he asked, stepping closer to rub his cheek on her head and kiss her lips briefly in greeting.

“Y-yeah.” She smiled at him, “Sorry for making you come all the way out here for me. Again.”

“It’s alright. I’m just glad you’re fine.” Adrien tucked a strand of hair behind her hair.

“Were you really worried?”

“Yeah, I think my nightmares are stressing me out again.”

“Which one? The one where I don’t remember who you are or there are no more croissants at the Bakery or the one where I die or the one I leave you for Luka or is it the one where you can’t find me?”

Adrien frowned. “I never said you left me for Luka?!”

“Oh.”

“Hey, Marinette,” Adrien pushed his forehead against her with an annoyed tick above his eyebrow, “should I be worried?”

“About what?”

“About Luka.”

“No, of course not,” she waved at him, “I’m was just giving an example.”

“Why does have it be Luka.”

She perked both eyebrows up with a grin that had him scowling. “Should I say someone else’s name?”

“You’re not cute.”

“Such a shame you’re stuck with me, Chaton.” she snickered in delight, smiling up at him. Pressing her cheek against his shoulder she asked, “So, was it the ‘croissant’ one?”

“I wish,” he scoffed.

“The 'die' one?”

“Heavens no!”

“Then, it’s the ‘not finding me’ one?”

Adrien wrapped his arm around her and nodded, “yeah, but now that you mentioned the dying one…I just want normal dreams.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think the Queen’s note would bother you so much.”

“Yeah, neither did I.”

“Hey…I don’t think you need to worry about that nightmare.”

Adrien buried his nose in her hair; he could smell a distant lingering scent of fabric dye on her hands. “Yeah? Why’s that?”

“Because you’ll find me. It shouldn’t be hard since I’m basically covered in your scent. I think everyone with a sense of smell can tell I’m claimed.”

Adrien smiled smugly, “That’s true.”

“You always do find me,” she mused out loud. “With or without meaning to, I always come back to you.”

He pulled her up for a kiss, long and promising. “I love you,” he said, his eyes softened and she met it with her own smile.

“I love you, too.” They kissed again, her lashes brushed against his cheek and he felt her smile against his lips. Suddenly, she jolted and pulled away with a blush. “Adrien.”

“Hm?” he hummed dreamily at her.

“You’re not even going to try to make an excuse?” She laughed, loosening her arms around his neck.

“What can I say?” His harden length bumped against her stomach. “I feel like the cat who’s going to get the cream when I’m with you.”

“Going? Are you saying I’m easy?”

“I’m saying you’re delicious and worth eating.” He leaned down; brushing his lips against hers, “Let me eat you.”

“Did you come here to seduce me?”

“No, but when I see an opportunity to seduce you, I’m not going to waste it. Is it working?”

Their lips met and Marinette felt excited shocks run through her, the same one that manifested when the air between them got thick over heated glances across the room, an innocent touch that lingered a little too long, or a play of words with hidden meanings. That tingling never stopped pulling smiles from her as she pushed into him, standing on the tips of her toes and wrapping her arms around his shoulder, deepening the kiss.

“Why are you wearing so many clothes?” He asked trailing kisses down her cheek to her neck, he rubbed his cheeks against her, scenting her as his hands grasped her dress and tugged up.

“Because I’m in public and I don’t show up to places naked like you do,” she countered, raising her arms to remove the dress from her body.

“I can’t carry clothes as a cat,” he said, kneeling down to remove her panties.

“So, why didn’t you look for me as a human that’s fully clothed?”

Adrien paused and shot a pout at her. The pleased grin she had however made him kiss her naked thigh, the scent between her thighs deepened. He tapped her leg and gestured her to step out of her panties that were pooling around her feet. His kisses trailed up to her hip, the softness of her belly, the path between her breasts, and the sweet juncture of her neck before he reached her lips and kissed her again.

“How are you so pretty?” he mumbled, his hands roaming down her back to her waist and landed on her hips. He squeezed the hefty flesh there, smiling at her tiny jolt when he did. “Marinette?” he prompted her, apparently wanting an answer.

“Genetics,” she answered blandly, grinning at his unimpressed expression. He moved his hands to her bottom and gave them a nice squeeze in retaliation. “You don’t like my answer?”

“I dough not,” he said against her lips.

“But it got a rise out of you,” she grazed her finger over his length, making him shiver, “more than one way.”

“Oh, that was a pun and an innuendo,” Adrien moaned against her mouth, not allowing her to laugh fully as he deepened the kiss.

The sleek oil he produced coated Marinette, making patches of her skin glisten under the fluorescent light of the room. The smell was pungent and musky. Marinette has always teased him for producing a lot of bodily fluid, and he teased her right back for wanting to be covered in it.

She didn’t deny it.

“You’re drenched,” he said, his finger traced her lower lips. Marinette pulled away with cheeks burning. Somehow she did not notice his hand creeping up her thigh. Adrien smirked and kissed her, repeating the same sentence to her in a husky voice that caused shivers to run up to spine.

He peppered kissed down her neck and chest, giving her a bite on her hips and soothing it with his mouth until it was red. By the time he reached the juncture of her thigh she was panting, heart racing, and he was smug.

“How are you doing?”

“I can be better.”

“How so?” He pressed a kiss closer to her heat. Smirking when she spread her legs wider.

“You could be touching me,” she answered, her hand touching his.

“I am,” he rubbed his cheek against her thigh, coating her further with his musk.

“Not like that!” She whined.

“Ah, like this, then?” he kissed the top of her heat, making her spreader her legs a little wider.

“Y-yeah,” she sighed, about to shut her eyes and give into the sensation when a flash of light from outside distracted. “Wait!”

“Why?” Adrien barely pulled away from her skin.

“W-we can’t do this h-here,” she stuttered over her words on the first lap of his tongue on her. “I have class…classmates that use this space, and…and,” she gasped at the tiny insisted flicks on her clit.

Adrien moaned at the rush of honey between her legs and propped one of her thighs over his shoulder, as he pressed closer. She felt him dip lower, his mouth smoldering against her and the pleased hums he made when her gasps doubled and her blood soared, he could hear it all after all. Marinette’s hand was buried in his hair, she felt his cat ears pop up and she couldn’t help the tiny chuckle that escaped her when she caressed one.

“Ah,” she was panting, cheeks red and sweat ran down her as he built her closer to the peak of ecstasy, gripping her closer when she tried to pull away, moaning eagerly as more fluids rushed from her.

He would sing the praise of her beauty if his mouth weren’t too preoccupied. He moved away from her core, feeling his ego swell at her whimpered, and bit the skin between her pelvis and thigh, soothing it with his tongue to leave a mark. His name painted on the air from the amount of time she exclaimed it, and her gasped moan resounded in the room when he returned to her heat again.

Marinette arched her back as a final twirl around her clitoris released the tension inside of her, the burst of pleasure had her moaning too loudly for her liking but Adrien adored it, holding her closer with every wave of her orgasm.

When he moved to get up, her leg gave out and he had to steady her, helping her slide down onto his lap. He showered kisses on her, finally giving her the compliments he was thinking of earlier. He concentrated his attention on her neck, crazy over the thumping of her blood underneath the skin.

“You’re such an alley cat,” she said, chuckling as he nuzzled her and brought her down on top of him. Not for the first time, she felt a rush of happiness pass over her. She never thought happiness could feel like this, never thought she would have happiness like this.

“Sentimental?” he asked, kissing the crown of her head.

“Yeah.”

“Good sentimental?”

“Yeah.”

Marinette lavished his chest with kisses, making her way up his neck to his lips before sitting up. She pushed her hair over her shoulder and leaned up, biting her lips as she grabbed his length and pumped it.

“You are absolutely the loveliest thing I have ever seen,” he said and she huffed in amusement, climbing onto his lap.

Palming her fleshy thighs and studied her fully under the lights, Adrien recounted everything he adored about her. The softness of her belly, her lithe hands, the perky and modest size of her breasts and their rose tip nipples. He could write a sonata on the hundreds of freckles speckled over her body, especially the constellations across her nose and shoulders, an epic on her bravery and kindness, and limericks on the mischievous gleams in her eyes and the corner of her lips when she thought of something clever.

“Sentimental?” she asked, raising an eyebrow on his tail that curled around her waist and he pulled her closer.

“In love,” he responded, palming her hips and gesturing her to sink down on him. He saw her glanced at the open door, nervousness prickled her scent. “No one is here but us.”

“What if someone shows up?”

“I would smell them and locked the door so we can finish.” He leered at her, eyebrows waggling at her and he was rewarded with an amused smile. “Also, I’m alpha. They wouldn’t dare bother us when we’re mating.”

“How thoughtful,” she ended in a gasp at the sensation of him probing her opening.

They already have done this hundred of time since they got married but they have not yet tired of the feeling. Adrien adored the manner she quickly molded over the head of his cock, tight and pulsating, and the slight struggle they faced when he goes deeper, the length broad and demanding, and her walls stretching to accommodate him snuggle and tight.

There were times she felt he would tear her by his sheer size but the human body is amazing. Marinette revered once he was fully inside of her, the curve of his cock being able to rub the delightful area inside of her that had her gasping through smiles. She was wet for him, drenched as he said, and the waves of heat that rolled over her made her clench over his length and her hair rise.

It felt divine.

Adrien made tight circles with his thumbs where he held her hips, his mouth watering at her flush skin and curved lips. Seeing Marinette completely enthralled in pleasure was more satisfying to him than his own needs. He called her and she opened her eyes, accepting the soothing kisses he laid on her.

“You feel so good,” she whispered, rolling her hips and moaning at the toe-curling sensation, “Adrien.” A hand buried in his hair as she continued her steady rock. He attached his lips to his claim on her neck, peppering kisses and steady nibbles over the sensitive skin, causing her heat to tighten over his length with every passing lap of his tongue.

Suddenly, he moved with her. It also felt different when he moved. Adrien spread her thighs wider, angled her to reach a depth in her that she rarely could find, and the aching intensity made her throat closed in exhilaration. He was thrusting harder, their skin slapping against one another, and she was panting, her chest heaving and body trembling.

He had that satisfied sleepy expression, that devilish twinge tugging at his lips. He looked so pleased just watching her fall apart. He rocked harder, biting his claim that made her come undone and she clenched over his cock, arched her body and cried his name.

His knot swelled at the sweet compression of her over him. His mouth watered as it pressed against her opening, again and again, straining to enter her but when it did, her tight ring stretching over him and encasing him, he came. “Marinette,” Adrien grunted, pushing them over until she was on her back, legs tight around his hips, and he emptied his seeds inside of her.

Marinette gasped softly with every gush of his cum, her lips brushing against his temple. Opening her eyes, she saw her bag has fallen open and her sewing supplies have tumbled out.

Another warm burst of his cum, his mouth tight on his claim on her, and she knew she won’t be able to fully concentrate in this class ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :3


	28. The Argument

“I’m not going,” Adrien stated, his grip on Marinette’s hand tightened.

“Adrien, if you don’t go it’ll be rescheduled. Again. It’s already been rescheduled five times,” Marinette said.

“Which is the La Fleur Alpha’s fault, not mine,” Adrien argued. “The first four dates worked perfectly with the rest of us except him.”

“Think of the pack,” Marinette reasoned.

“I am.”

“Enough! She’ll be fine,” Chloe huffed for the second time. “She has Kim with her.”

“And us,” Nino grinned, pulling Alya closer to him.

The crossing was as busy as ever, people going and coming from the Realm. The day was bright. Summer was coming to an end but the hot days lingered. Adrien and Marinette stood off to the side, speaking in low voices despite the rest of them being able to hear them clearly.

“I don’t care. It feels wrong,” Adrien reasoned. “It could be a trap.”

“You’re feeling like that because she’s your mate. You’re overreacting,” Kim stated and shrunk back at Adrien’s glare. “Apologizes, Alpha.”

Adrien paced and ran his hand through his hair. He has been like this since last week when his meeting with the other packs’ alphas coincided with the date the Queen selected for her meeting with Marinette. He had Natalie speak with the other alphas’ assistants to see if there could be another possible meeting date. The closest date that would work with all of their schedules would be next year in spring. That was too far away and ridiculous.

Marinette was able to appease him momentarily by agreeing to take Kim with her, an untitled pack member who was growing in the ranks quickly, as a bodyguard. However, once they arrived at the crossing his stress mounted and he was hesitating in letting her cross over to the Realm.

They, especially her, did not leave on a good note.

“Wayzz will meet us there,” Marinette said, cupping his cheek tenderly, “and so will Trixx.”

“Yeah, dude. The likelihood of anything happening to us after all the press we got last year is low. Marinette is a hero in the Realm.”

“Yeah, and the Queen isn’t.” Adrien frowned. “Her reputation is damaged after it got leaked what she did to Marinette. I don’t want the Queen to take it out on her.” 

“You’re overreacting,” Alya said, leaning on Nino.

“Am not.” Adrien frowned. “If you were in my shoes you would be reacting the same way I am.”

“Nope,” Alya leaned forward with a sly grin. “I would be yelling at Nino for even thinking about going without me and cussing the Queen by now.”

“See? That’s worst!”

“However,” she exclaimed loudly, “I am not and I am also not an Alpha. So who knows how I would truly react. What we do know is that you’re being a little overbearing, right, Mari?”

“What are you talking about? I am not being overbearing, right, Marinette?” Adrien looked down to Marinette who was smoothing the lines of his jacket.

“Black does look good on you,” Marinette smiled.

“That was not the question.”

“Have I told you how handsome you look in a suit?”

Adrien blushed at the compliment and pouted, “you can’t use flattery to avoid the question.”

“Can I have a kiss?” She asked with a coy grin.

Adrien shuffled, gulping as he glanced down to her lips and the lithe finger that tapped on the bottom right on the pink plush skin. He was weak to her kisses and weaker against her asking for them. He heard Nino and Alya snicker behind him and Chloe gagging to his left. Adrien shot a fierce glare at them all except for Kim who was looking in the opposite direction, respecting his Alphas’ moment while also trying to hide his amused smirk.

Marinette tugged on his sleeve and when he looked back to her, she leaned up and gently pressed a kiss on his lips. Alya and Kim burst out laughing at the pleased musk the seeped from Adrien. Kim stopped laughing at Adrien’s glower. Alya snorted a giggle and hid her face in Nino’s shoulder.

Marinette guided his gaze back to her and smiled warmly at him, “I’ll try to get back as soon as possible, okay?”

“We have twenty minutes, are they going or not?” Chloe asked, shaking her leg impatiently.

Adrien inhaled sharply, biting the corner of his lips. Marinette’s hand was warm on his cheek. Her scent was calming, he smelled a little anxiety but that must partly due to her reaction to him. He told himself, as the rest of them did, the likelihood of something happening to her would be close to zero.

This was, after all, an inter-realm meeting. The Queen’s advisor would be against capturing Marinette. The neighboring kingdoms would intervene if something transpired and then if the Queen tried to do something, the countries, packs, clans, and other organizations in the Common Land would react.

“I want hourly reports,” Adrien finally said, kissing Marinette’s palm before facing Kim. “At the first sign of danger, any inkling, come back to the Common Lands and call me. I’ll have the pack monitoring communication lines between us. Kim, I repeat, if anything happens, your first priority is to get Marinette back to the Common Lands.”

“Understood.” Kim gave a curt nod.

“Dude,” Nino leaned forward with a relaxed smile. “It’s just a meeting.”

~o~o~o~o~ 

An advisor and two guards led Marinette and the small group down a hall. The Queen’s advisor was polite and courteous when he greeted them, smiling politely and bowing respectfully. He told Marinette and Nino their meeting would take place in the smaller Great Hall.

Marinette was quiet as she followed them. Looking around at the halls where she used to work closely in for the past three years. The halls still smelled the same of varnish and cotton. The wooden floors polished to the point she could see her reflection. 

She glanced at Kim who was two-steps behind on her right, and Alya and Nino were to the left of her. Wayzz and Trixx met them at the crossing and were with them until they were called away by a foreign advisor with questions regarding a tear in their land. Kim was ready to escort Marinette back to the Common Lands – this was a sign to him – but Wayzz assured him they would catch up in a few minutes.

“This is inappropriate of me to ask,” the advisor said suddenly, taking a look back to them. “But, may I know your decision to the Queen’s request?” Nino and Marinette perked an eyebrow and the advisor smiled. “You see, I ask since it was my idea to send the request to you two.”

“They’re not going,” Alya growled.

“Alya,” Nino whispered harshly.

“Oh,” the advisor nodded. “I see.”

“Look, it’s true we don’t plan to take the mission and physically go,” Nino reasoned, “but we want to be helpful and give advice to the team that does.”

The advisor did not look back to them. They all noticed the subtle shift of air. “Reasonable,” he said.

Kim changed his position to be in front of Marinette and Alya shoved Nino behind her on instinct. Marinette felt a gust of wind brushed on the back of her neck and looked behind her, eyes widening when a looming akuma stood meters away behind them. She was not able to voice a warning when it moved towards them. Too easily was she separated from Kim. He charged the akuma with the guards as he shouted to Nino and Alya to get her to safety.

She and Alya frowned but Nino did as Kim commanded. 

They only ran down three long passages way when the Queen’s guards surrounded them.

Adrien was right. 

It was a trap.

Nino and Alya were pressed against the wall by two guards each, knives against their bodies. Alya cursing at them until one hit her across the face. Nino was livid but was slammed against the wall twice when he tried to fight free. Marinette had weapons pointed at her, too many for her to block and protect Nino and Alya.

The guards parted and the Queen walked forward with the advisor from earlier. There was a roar from an akuma behind them but the Queen looked unfazed in her peacock blue dress and serene smile.

“Hello Chosen Dupain-Chang. Chosen Lahiffe. Chosen Cesaire.” The Queen said.

“Hello, your Majesty.” Marinette greeted stiffly. Nino and Alya were grumbling their distaste, wiggling in the guards’ holds. “May I ask what is happening?”

“Of course,” the Queen gestured to her advisor. “I was told you two declined my request.”

“We did.” 

There were thunderous steps falling behind them.

The akuma has gone quiet.

Kim was searching for her.

“That is problematic for me.”

“How so, you b-” Alya got slapped hard this time, they heard bone cracking and Nino was able to fight free for a moment, defeating a guard and take a step towards his mate when he was slammed against the wall again. Marinette tightened her fist but remained calm.

This was not the time to lose her nerve.

“Le Peon,” the Queen said, circling Marinette. “She threatened my people but reassured me that I do not need to concern myself with her as long as I gave her what she needs. Do you know what that is?” The Queen placed her hand on Marinette’s cheek and smiled. “She wants you, Chosen Dupain-Cheng.”

“So, you are handing her over?” Nino growled, “Do you know what this will mean to your foreign advisors when it gets out? Your relationships with other lands and nations?”

“If,” the advisor corrected for his Queen.

“You little-”

“Nino,” Marinette sent him a look that screamed to stay quiet.

“I was trying to be nice,” The Queen sighed, “making this appear as a mission so I can send a team with you with…proper provisions and supplies, but it seems with your rejection, I will not be able to help you. Fret not, because, as you will see, I have a solution that can fix my problem.”

“Think clearly,” Marinette warned.

The Queen smile turned dark and she ripped her hand off Marinette’s cheek, leaving three scratches in its wake. “I am. Open the Tear,” she seethed.

“What are you doing?!” Nino exclaimed, struggling again as two wizards created a Tear as big as Marinette.

Marinette turned, eyes glowing pink when a guard forcedly pushed her around. A bag was thrown at her and Marinette fumbled to catch it. She pressed it against her chest, momentarily surprised when she heard the Queen’s command to throw her into the Tear.

Alya and Nino watched in horror as a large guard kicked Marinette in the chest and the force pushed her into the tear. Marinette’s gasp resounded for a moment until Tear was swiftly closed.

“Lock them up,” the Queen said, turning around and going back to her tea and crumpets she left on her table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost near the end.


	29. Scratch

One hundred and fifty days ago, Marinette, Alya, and Nino went missing. It was breaking news for two weeks straight with search parties in the Common Lands and the Realm. It took ten pack members to stop Adrien from rushing into the Realm to look for Marinette and it took Natalie telling him he would be useless in prison if he tried to go after the Queen. Since then, Adrien has avoided the press and Natalie ensured that all calls were screened before reaching him.

When Kim awakened from his coma a month later, as Alpha, Adrien was of the first to be informed about Kim. Kim apologized and apologized. Adrien forgave him. He blamed himself instead. He should have listened to his gut and canceled his meeting. He should have gone with her. Should have protected her. He should have done more and now she and his closest friends were gone. 

Twenty-one days later, it was revealed that the person behind their disappearance was as Adrien suspected: the Queen. When Adrien could not growl his frustration at the press, in inter-realm meetings, or at the Queen’s representative in the Common Lands, his pack did for his behalf – Kim being the loudest.

Adrien’s temper and health flared periodically, declining at a rate that had Natalie concerned. His grief and longing immobilized him at night once he was alone. He was exhausted from being sad, being angry and helpless. Marinette’s unfinished designs stayed where she left them. Her grocery list still taped onto the fridge greeting him everyday. Her scent lingered on her clothes but faded with each day that passed.

Tikki and Adrien both visited Marinette’s parents regularly, offering their apologies for their lack of attention on the day she went missing. Adrien did the same with Alya’s parents and Nino’s – both Wayzz and Trixx were by his side.

His grief and anger was not his alone.

The guards that worked besides Marinette and Nino were livid, all leaving the Queen’s side at her betrayal. Her country was on the midst of civil war; Adrien was against her rule in the Common Lands. The only person that stayed in her kingdom in their group was Luka, pledging loyalty to the Queen.

Then, in the course of two weeks, Luka betrayed the Queen and found Alya. He disguised himself as a guard and entered the mirror prison of Reflektec, following the instructions the other guards gave him. Soon enough, he came to a cell. He knocked on the window and the fragile person on the other side stirred.

Luka pulled his communicator out as he opened the prison’s door, “Alya has been located. Open the gate and call a medic.” Luka kneeled down and shifted Alya to her back, slapping her cheek lightly but she was out cold. Luka brought her back to the Common Lands where Adrien met him alongside Alya’s parents and Trixx.

Alya woke a day later. Trixx was by her side and Alya sobbed and wailed until she was wearing Nino’s shirt. Her mate’s scent giving her some strength through the grief she encountered for weeks. When Adrien arrived less than an hour later, she recounted to him what happened to her and Nino, and what happened to Marinette.

They were ambushed.

Marinette was thrown into the Tear.  
  
Alya and Nino were separated and she was thrown into Reflektec.

Nino’s whereabouts was still a mystery, even to Luka.

Adrien left them and went to the embassy, fierce as he slammed the doors open and knocked politicians and government workers aside until he came face-to-face to the Queen’s advisor. An argument ensued. Adrien demanded the Queen to be arrested. The Queen’s advisor demanded Luka was to be arrested for being a traitor.

It was too late for that demand, however. The Mayor of Paris, convinced by Chloe, already gave Luka sanctuary in Paris.

After punching the advisor, Adrien formed a group to enter the Tear to look for Marinette. Adrien got into another argument with Chloe and Alya who demanded to be part of the group. After declaring they would go of their own without him, the Elders gave their blessings and so did Adrien with a sigh. Master Fu wished them well and luck on their journey.

It has been two days since they entered the Tear.

“It seems impossible,” Chloe finally said what most of them ever thinking. The sun was hot and they have not found a single clue as to Marinette’s whereabouts. Akumas have not even attacked them.

“Don’t give up hope,” Tikki said, the optimist one of the group, like Marinette.

“We need more people helping us.” Chloe argued, “The Tear is too vast for us to investigate.”

“If we brought more people it would just get messy and we risk their lives,” Luka said, munching on an apple as he scoured the sandy horizon.

Alya snorted, “it doesn’t matter how many people come with us. As long as Adrien or I pick up her scent, we’ll find her.”

But Adrien hadn’t it and that was frustrating him to no ends. He had to find her. He has always found her.

Adrien’s lips thinned as he looked over the valley of sand and dried trees. He could only smell the scents of the group, dried foliage; the cup of noodles in Alya’s backpack and the sliced of Camembert Plagg had in his.

“Um,” Chloe looked over her shoulder at the group with an unsure frowned. “I think…I found something?”

Adrien, Alya, and Tikki were right next to her, all talking at once until she shouted at them to shut up. Plagg laughed as he strolled up to the rest of them.

“What did you find?” Tikki prompted.

“I don’t…well, I just learned this from Pollen, okay? So I’m not one hundred percent sure what I’m doing or if I’m doing it right, but I think I found some trace of magic.” Chloe opened her palm and they all saw the copper glitter floating in her hands. “I think its Marinette’s.” 

Tikki hovered her palm over the glitter of magic and smiled, “it is.”

“What does that mean?” Alya asked.

“She was here,” Tikki answered, “leaving a…magic footprint, you can say.”

“Can we follow it?” Adrien asked.

“Chloe?” Tikki prompted the young pixie and Chloe blushed.

“Yeah, just…give me a moment.” Chloe huffed and thought hard on the feeling magic in the palm of her hands. Pollen mentioned the pixies were often guides for travelers, knowing locations they have not been before simply on the desire of their companions. The glitter floated out of her hands and floated to the left.

“Where’s it going?” Alya asked.

“Probably leading us,” Luka said, “Come on!”

“Good job, Chloe.” Adrien patted her shoulder and ran to catch up to the glitter.

They were paces behind the glitter, seeing it get bigger and opaque when it shot up to the air. The glitter formed a figure and suddenly the figure fell down to the ground. Adrien' heart raced when the figure thinned out a few details to resembled Marinette.

“Marinette?!” Adrien crouched down to the glitter form of Marinette as she looked up at the sky; the bag she held in her arms fell to the ground.

 _“Wait!”_ She shouted, surprising them all. _“Alya! Nino!”_ She stood up, the look of shock present on her face despite her being made of pink copper glitter. _“You can’t do this!”_

She winced and touched her cheek; droplets of glitter fell to the ground from her hand. The Queen’s fingernails were laced with iron. She felt it numbing her cheek and spread down to her body.

She pivoted, looking to the distance as an echo of a low howl entered the space around of them. Marinette glanced up at the sky again. She took off her sweater, ran to grab the bag, and she flew into the sky.

“We have to follow it!” Chloe shouted and they did.

The glitter showed them moments of Marinette’s time in the Tear during the peak of her magic being used. In the course of a week, they saw her fight with more than hundred akumas. They saw her lying on the ground bleeding from wounds that she had to heal herself. She was flying, scavenging, exploring caves and old ancient structures as she marked the days going by in a notebook she found in the duffle bag given to her by the Queen. The scratches she had on her cheek haven’t healed.

“The Queen poisoned her,” Tikki said after observing the wound.

“With what?” Alya asked.

“Iron,” Tikki answered, “the Queen had her fingernails laced with it. That’s why the scratches on her cheek aren’t healing.”

Adrien made a mental note to rid anything iron from their home.

On day twenty, Marinette ran into Le Peon. Chloe’s magic split into two. One staying the cooper pink glitter of Marinette while the other became a deep blue form of Le Peon. They fought. Their battle was violent and filled with attacks that had powerful magic behind them. Le Peon obliterated a building with a swipe of her sword. Marinette caused the sky to go white with a shot of her arrow.

Le Peon was slammed to the ground and pleaded for mercy, saying she wanted to return to the Common Lands and be with Gabriel and Adrien. The seconds of compassion Marinette already had for Veronica gave Le Peon enough time to attack. At the end, Marinette was wounded. 

Adrien cried out to her, running to catch her falling form to only have her go through his hands. The blue glitter figure of Le Peon crawled down to Marinette’s fallen form, her hand pressing Marinette’s head to the ground and sneered, “ _Find the temple of the demi-gods. Unleashed the purest magic of the Miraculous.”_

Le Peon pressed a kiss to Marinette’s cheek. The thin lines the Queen has left her healed. They disappeared in a gust of wind.

Chloe fainted afterwards. It would be three days until she was strong enough to continue the guiding magic to find Marinette. Adrien spent those days pacing, fretting, and scouting ahead. Sometimes he would sob when the anxiety became too much. Plagg found him once and patted Adrien’s back, reassuring him that just because he was Alpha does not mean he had to be ashamed for expressing sadness and concern, especially over his mate.

They came across Marinette’s pink copper body after a day of searching. The trail of glitter took them to an old decaying structure. Tikki casted a glow of light as they entered, following the flickering glitter down and deeper until it twirled on the floor and Marinette was created again.

She sat with her palms held out, cradling nothing and eyes shut. From the palms of her hands, there was swirls of magic that sprung out, wisps caressing her as it filled the room with bright and airy magic. Light filled the room, showing the craved drawings on the walls as nature began to grow. Vines crept down from the ceiling. Moss formed on the creases of stones. Buds of flowers sprang from the ground. From the distance, water dripped and trickled.

Marinette filled the temple with life.

She smiled and disappeared.

The glitter gathered in Chloe’s hands, leaving in its wake was the growth of nature Marinette created.

“W...what does this mean?” Alya asked.

Tikki said softly in a bittersweet voice, “she casted the purest magic from the Miraculous of Creation.”

“She did it,” Luka blinked, in awed of her power. “She actually did it.”

“Doesn’t this mean Le Peon is going to try to kill her?” Plagg scowled, “She’s in real danger now.”

“Chloe?” Adrien looked at Chloe, gesturing her to continue.

“Yeah, give me a moment,” Chloe touched a flower and sighed. It has been so long since she seen vegetation. The pure magic greenery naturally boosted her aura. 

“You, too,” Plagg tugged Tikki towards a flower. “I know you’re weary like the pixie over there.” Tikki smiled at Plagg, kissing his cheek before touching a petal, feeling the soothing magic enter her.

Hours later, they found Marinette again. She stood with her arms in position of pulling an arrow back. From the tip of her arrow, glitter floated meters in front of her, turning a tinge of green.

“Nino?” Alya stepped forward, watching as the forest green glitter molded into Nino. “Nino!” She ran to him, her hand hovering over his cheek as he raised his arm, going through Alya, his wand directed at Marinette.

“What’s going on?” Luka asked. “Are they going to fight?”

“ _It’s me, Marinette_ ,” Nino said, the glitter completing him. “ _Trust me_ ”

_“I had two akumas disguised as Alya and Tikki try to kill me.”_

_“What?”_ Nino faltered, stepping back as her arrow glowed strong. _“W-wait! I…can prove it!”_

“ _How_?”

_“I almost got beat up by Adrien when you made me pretend to be your lover when he sent pack members as your body guards, and you still owe me for that! Um, and, when we were teenagers, I asked for your help to make Alya fall in love with me and you locked me in a cage with her, which was the best thing that ever happened to me. You had a pink lemonade phase when we were ten. Adrien got super piss at you one time when you got stabbed and said it was a scratch!”_

_“It was a scratch!”_

_“It was not a scratch! And…and, oh! You used to have cutouts of Adrien’s advertisement photos in your – oh, shit!”_

Nino ducked under an arrow and then another as Marinette marched up to him, red in the face. She pulled him down, _“you can never tell him that!”_

_“What? He doesn’t know?”_

_“No!”_ Marinette said, flustered as she let him go and covered her face. _“I’ll be so mortified if he ever finds out. I’ll die.”_

_“You two are married.”_

_“I’ll die!”_ Marinette repeated. 

Suddenly, they both looked at each other and gave each other a hard hug. They both cried how happy they were to see each other and asked how they were doing and what happened before disappearing in a gust of wind.

Chloe collected the glitter in her hands as they abruptly cheered. Nino was alive and he found Marinette in the deserted land of the Tear. Tikki kissed Plagg as she jumped up and down. Adrien and Alya hugged each other in joy. Their mates were alive and travelling together, bettering their chances of survival and finding them.

They all rushed to Chloe and thanked her as well, with the exception of Plagg until Tikki dragged him in the group hug. Hopeful, they set up camp and started their travels the next day.

They followed Marinette and Nino’s adventure for the next week. Watching as they worked together to take down high-level akumas, scavenging for resources, and taking turns to guard the night when the sunset. Nino fell asleep five times during his watch schedule and almost got them killed twice. Marinette laughed both time.

Alya and Adrien scowled.

They heard trails of Marinette and Nino’s brainstorming sessions on how to return to the Common Lands, saw as they sought for open tears but found none. They helped bandage each other up. Marinette was constantly worrying on the diminishing medicine supplies while Nino mourned the last cup noodles being eaten by the two of them. It was six days of them following Marinette and Nino’s adventure, but for the two glittered Chosens it seemed that weeks had passed.

Then, Nino got wounded. 

“Nino!” Alya ran to him, collapsing onto the ground to cradle his face and, again, her hand went through the glitter.

Marinette blocked an akuma attack with a burst of magic before blasting it back, obliterating it into orbs of light. She turned and ran to Nino, shielding him from a tackle of an akuma. He was bleeding, a darker shade of green glitter pooling around his side.

The akuma realizing Nino was protected shifted its focus on Marinette. It stalked her, swaying on its forearm before being frustrated and roared at her. It charged, fast and Marinette wasn’t fast enough to escape it claw. The surfaced scratch on her arm sprouted a warm pink glitter from the wound. Marinette sent an arrow into its back, flying back to send two more before stomping her foot on the ground and a wave of red magic rippled towards the akuma, killing it.

She ran to Nino, her knees giving out. They were fighting for so long and her adrenaline was leaving her. _“Nino,”_ she crawled towards him, tapping his cheek.

 _“I want Alya,”_ Nino murmured, _“and a burger and a hot bath.”_

 _“I can relate,”_ Marinette chucked through tears. “ _Can you get up? We have to go.”_

Nino whimpered as he tried. The pain too biting that he fell back in a coughing pit, apologizing to her _. “Leave me,”_ he said.

_“I’m not leaving you.”_

_“Marinette, you have to leave me.”_

_“I’m not!”_ She yelled. _“I’m not,”_ she said again in an even tone. She shoved off her ragged gloves and posed her hands over his wound. Trembling, she began to heal him. _“I got us out of shitter situations before and I’ll do it again.”_

 _“Language_ ,” Nino chuckled painfully, mocking her as another wave of pain went through him. _“You can’t save me.”_ Nino said after a moment, feeling his wound barely closing up. Marinette hardly had any magic left in her and healing took so much mana. _“I need magic,”_ he panted. _“Even if you heal me, I’m too weak to produce it.”_

_“I’ll give you some of mine.”_

_“You barely have any.”_

_“I have enough.”_

_“You can die if you try to give me any.”_

_“I won’t.”_

_“You can’t-”_

_“Don’t tell me what I can’t do!”_ Marinette shouted, frustrated that he was right. She had used up too much magic during the fight.

_“I forgive you.”_

_“Alya won’t.”_ She snapped back to him. _“I won’t…Nino?”_

Chloe collapsed again and the glittered figures disappeared.

Alya was paled. Lips pursed and she restrained herself from shaking and demanding Chloe to continue. Instead, she joined Adrien in his pacing as they waited for the pixie gain strength to continue. 

Twelve hours later, they started again.

They followed the trail of glitter and ended up at decaying castle. They all looked at each other cautiously when they noticed there was an barrier around the castle, protecting someone or something inside. The glitter straggled up a tower and they knew they needed to follow it.

They walked through the barrier, which caused it to break, and they ascended by their own means. Tikki and Chloe flew with Luke holding their hands while Plagg, Adrien, and Alya clawed their way up the stone tower. They climbed through a window just as Marinette laid Nino on a stone table in the middle of the room.

Alya let out a cry in joy at the sight of Nino. He was panting, hissing and groaning as his hand held his wound. He wasn’t getting better she noticed. Marinette pulled herself up, taking in a deep breath as she circled Nino once. She sweating and timorous, her hair pulled in a high, messy bun, thinking as to what she should do.

“ _W-what are you doing!?_ ” Nino exclaimed, trying to sit up but cried out from the unbearable pain. “ _You’ll die!_ ” He groaned.

“ _I won’t_ ,” Marinette said, posing her hand over his chest and created a pink translucent energy field over Nino’s form. She wavered but pressed on, “Y _ou will live.”_

_“Marinette.”_

_“And you will be reunited with Alya.”_

_“Please.”_

_“And it will be good.”_

“S _top! You’re not thinking straight,_ ” Nino argued, upset as the energy field began to form over his face. He pressed his hand against it. He saw the light dimming in her, “ _Wait, Marinette!_ _What about Adrien? He’s waiting for you!_ ”

Marinette smiled, watching as the energy field completely encased Nino and he was slowly drifted to sleep. He mumbled before sighing Alya’s name. Marinette completed the spell and collapsed.

Marinette’s form dissipated and quickly reappeared walking around the room. The room began to be filled with fabrics, food, tools, and dusty books. Marinette slowly changed as she ambled from one side to the other. Her hair got longer. Bangs pulled away from her face. Clothing got dirty until they were replaced with different ones. As her collection grew, Nino stayed the same, asleep as Marinette went and return over the course of days. Then, she was standing besides Adrien, facing the wall craving a line next to dozens of hash marks she made.

Adrien tried to caress her cheek.

“Ninety-five days,” Luka said, “She has been counting the days she has been in the Tear.”

Marinette stepped back, her shoulder falling apart when she walked through Adrien before reforming again. She turned her head to the entrance of the room; pensive as she waited from something they could not hear. Then, she glared and walked towards the door, forming a sword in her hand as she rushed down.

Adrien was already descending the stairs behind Marinette, following her pink copper trail. The rest followed except Alya who stood in shock as the green glitter faded off Nino and his real body rested in front of her under the pink grapefruit cover Marinette made.

Adrien burst into a large chamber first, close to Marinette’s copper figure to touch it when it dissipated again and reformed mid air, slamming against the wall. Le Peon’s blue form dropped down from the ceiling and attacked. Marinette dodged and blocked, her weapon being destroyed by the force of Le Peon’s large fan but Marinette regenerated new ones.

Le Peon swept down, grabbing Marinette’s arm and twisted it. Just as Marinette turned to break free, Le Peon whispered into her ear and caused Marinette to stagger for a single second. The next second, Le Peon stabbed Marinette through the abdominal.

“Marinette!” Adrien ran to her, his hand instantly on her stomach but it phased through her again. “No,” he whimpered, “No. No! No! Mari!”

“ _What do you hope to gain?_ ” Marinette asked, gasping as Le Peon pulled her fan back, revealing the hidden blade.

“ _My kingdom!_ ” Le Peon sneered, “ _They killed me, the holder of the Miraculous Stone of Illusions, the rightful Queen to the throne, a hundred years ago and gave my throne to my idiot baby sister._ ” Le Peon pointed her fan at Marinette, “ _And with the Miraculous of Creation, I can change all of that. I can create an army and take back what is mine. Change history if I wanted to!_ ”

“ _The…Queen?_ ” 

“ _She’s the one helping me. She has always been a fool and easily led_. _A coward to the end and a liar, too_ , _parading to her advisors that she’s helping me to save her people,_ ” Le Peon snorted, “ _If they knew she traded their lives for hers…but no worries. She will be the first one to be killed by the Parapure._ ”

“ _She’s your sister,_ ” she fell to her knees.

“ _She’s my traitor! They all are! They took away my birthright! My destiny! They banished me! They are the enemy! She is the enemy! Not me!_ ” Le Peon growled, tilting Marinette’s head up by the back of her hair. “ _She’s the one that lead to my assassination all those years ago and I intend to have her death be worse than mine._ ”

“ _Madame Veronica_?” Marinette asked, “What will you do with her? _Will…will you let her go home?_ ”

Le Peon chuckled, throwing Marinette to the ground. “ _Are you a fool as well? Is that all you are concern about? The vessel who’s hand killed hundreds?_ ”

“ _She is family_.”

Le Peon huffed and trailed her knife against Marinette’s cheek, the iron causing it to darken. “ _I despise people like you_.” Le Peon swung her arm with intent to kill when she was tackled to the ground by a purple figure. The glittering form intertwined as they fought. Chloe struggled to continue producing magic until Tikki transferred some of hers into the young blonde Chosen.

The fighting figures jumped away and Plagg’s eyes widened, “Cub?” He recognized Gabriel’s were form instantly due to years of training the former Alpha. Gabriel made growls and chatter, putting himself between Le Peon and Marinette. He made a whimper; desperate, hoping Veronica who was inside Le Peon could hear him.

“ _Do I know you?_ ” Le Peon asked, her smile a mock of the one his wife would sneak his way, it pained him. He was already grieving inside because he could not save his wife, his Veronica. Not without the Stone of Creation and he could not get that without killing his son’s mate, and he knew he could never forgive himself if he did. Again, he tried to reach for Veronica but Le Peon only smirked and ran forward, ready for another attack.

Pink light formed around Gabriel’s feet, paralyzing him. He looked up at Marinette who sudden appeared in front of him and snarled at her to move, to get out of his way. She was bleeding, wobbling on her feet and Le Peon decided to take this moment to kill Marinette.

However, Marinette sidestepped Le Peon’s attack and reached forward, her hand entering Le Peon’s chest easily, grasping the Miraculous Stone of Illusion just as Master Fu told her so many moons ago. The Stone in her possession, Marinette created a barrier around it and pulled it out of Le Peon.

Le Peon’s eyes faded from intense cobalt blue to green eyes as she staggered backwards, losing her blue glitter form and instead became a mint green. Gabriel rushed to her and watched in horror as she began to turn to stone.

“ _Gabriel…Gabriel, what have I done?_ ” Veronica asked, gaping at her hands. She swayed, weak and tired before looking up in shock at Marinette.

Gabriel looked over his shoulder to Marinette who slid down to the ground, she held the Miraculous Stone of Illusion up in the ribbon of light that shined through a hole on the ceiling. Then a pulse of magic released from her and vegetation began to grow, starting from where she sat and sprung outwards. The barrier from before, which Adrien and his group broke, began to form.

Gabriel called to her after he shifted to his half-man half-were form, his voice low and gruff. He took a step towards her, eyes widening as he saw her begin to turn to stone, too. Her hand holding the Miraculous Stone of Illusion in the air was already solid and she only glanced at him for a second. The copper glitter that made Marinette suddenly dissolved and left her petrified form in its wake.

“Marinette!?” Adrien ran to her, falling to his knees and scared to touch her but he did, her skin was smoothed and polished and cold. “Marinette?” Adrien pressed his forehead to hers, hoping she would blink and smile at him. “Marinette, please, I found you. This…it can’t…damnit,” he muffled his sob and embraced her  
Veronica and Gabriel’s glitter swept away in a gust of wind as Chloe fainted, leaving Veronica’s stone form behind. Luka barely able to catch Chloe but he hoisted her up as he observed the two statues in front of them.

Tikki was sobbing against Plagg’s chest, shaking as grief took over her.

The wind howled through the empty room. Night came and they all settled in. They will head home in the morning once Chloe got some rest.

Alya slept leaning against the table Nino was on.

Adrien stayed by Marinette.


	30. Happy Pawing

Plagg yawned loudly. Pensive, he thought on how the long journey was coming to an end and, as he had feared, left Adrien sad and broken. He should have fought harder for Adrien to stay in the Common Lands. He was Alpha. He did not need to come on this kind of trip and, at least that way, Plagg could save Adrien the heartache of seeing his mate and mother in such a state.

He sat up, the view from the roof made being on guard duty easy. He was able to see the vast landscape of the Tear, watch the starless sky and take a draw on his last cigarette. He smelt amber. Frowning, he jumped down and waited as Gabriel appeared around the corner.

“Cub,” Plagg greeted, throwing his cigarette to the ground.

Gabriel frowned but gave a nod of greeting, “Plagg.”

“You have a lot of balls showing your face here.”

“And you still have a vulgar manner of speaking for an Elder.”

“Eh, I try.” Plagg shrugged his shoulder but his mirth didn’t run along his words.

“Is Adrien here?” Gabriel asked.

“He is,” Plagg answered.

“Inside?”

“Yes.”

“He has seen Marinette and his mother.”

Plagg grunted, “We will be heading home in the morning after Blondie gets some rest. Now that you’re here, I expect you will be coming with us.”

“I will return home but not to the pack,” Gabriel said, “What I have done. It is shameful.”

“Oh, shove your designer shirt up your ass,” Plagg snorted. “You are still part of the Noir pack. So, apologize to the Pack and accept the forced retirement from Alpha and dismissal as future Elder. I already told Tikki I’ll stay an Elder until Adrien’s passes his status to…someone else when the time comes.”

“How…how are they?” Gabriel asked.

“Adrien’s pretty bad if that’s what you’re asking,” Plagg said, “I’m preparing to have a doc look after him the moment we get back. We can’t have him knell over.”

“Why would he?”

“W-what?” Plagg glared at him, “Because his mate got turned to fucking stone and so did his mother because a fucking Cub I know could not do his job right, and protect them, that’s why!”

“I did what I could!” Gabriel growled.

“Not enough,” Plagg countered.

Gabriel settled down first, his fangs retrieving as he tried to understand what was happening. “Why didn’t he turn her back?”

“W-what? What do you mean turn her back?”

“Adrien has the Miraculous Stone of Destruction. That will counter the nature of the Miraculous Stone of Creation in Marinette.”

“Are you lying?”

“Of course not!” Gabriel sneered. “I have been protecting this place until someone arrived or until I came across a Tear. Marinette used too much magic fortifying the castle and protecting Nino and Veronica. The Miraculous Stone of Creation cast a spell over Marinette, as well over the Stone of Illusion, keeping her and it safe from akumas seeking it.”

“And Adrien can bring her back?”

“Yes,” Gabriel said, annoyed that Plagg seemed to be quite slow today. “Has Master Fu taught him nothing?”

"Are you sure?"

"I have been researching this for the past seven years! Of course, I am sure!"

Plagg ran to the entrance of the small castle and burst the doors open. Plagg’s shouted for Adrien to wake up and simultaneously woke all of them up. Luka already had his weapon drawn and Alya rushed down the steps to see what was happening. Adrien weakly lifted his head to Plagg, barely shifting his eyes to his father to acknowledge him. He turned and laid his head back on to Marinette’s shoulder until Plagg pulled him awat.

“What!?” Adrien growled, pulling his arm out of Plagg's grasp. 

“Tell him,” Plagg demanded to Gabriel.

“What’s going on,” Tikki looked between them.

“You can break the spell,” Gabriel answered.

“Spell?”

“The one on Marinette,” Gabriel explained to Tikki. “Adrien can break it.”

“Are you saying she’s alive?” Alya asked.

“Yes,” Gabriel repeated.

“I can…I can break it?” Adrien shot up, “How?”

“Perhaps we should wait,” Luka said, holding his hands up at the collective glares he received. “L-let me explain! If…if Marinette is under a spell, assuming it froze it her, what I am thinking is if Adrien takes that spell off of her, we do not have the resources to help her.”

“He’s right,” Tikki agreed.

“What do you mean?” Chloe crossed her arms, “She’s fine. Look at her!”

“She was stabbed,” Tikki clarified, “We remove the spell. She will continue to bleed and I don’t know how much I can do. I am not specialized in healing.”

Plagg snorted, “Don’t we know.”

Tikki promptly shoved him.

“So what? We have to wait until Chloe is fine to break the spell?” Alya nearly growled.

“Yeah, why do we?” Chloe glared at them all and they all looked at her. "What?"

“Wait,” Luka lifted an eyebrow at her. “Are you saying you’re fine?”

“Of course I am! Look at me! Peppy as a pixie ready to shove my fans away,” Chloe flipped her hair, waiting for praise when she felt Tikki’s nails bite into her shoulder.

“Then, what are we waiting for? Contact Pollen and open the portal,” Tikki smiled thinly, “now.”

Chloe nodded and went to work. They all collected their things as Plagg watched Gabriel closely, not allowing him to make an escape. One way or another, he will have to face justice and receive some kind of punishment. Adrien was able to step away from Marinette for a moment to greet his father, hearing the full story and admitting to him that he was happy he was alive.

“I’m like…a quarter way through,” Chloe shouted over her shoulder. “One more minute and we’ll be good!”

“Did Wayzz get the medics?” Tikki asked.

“I don’t know. I told Pollen to tell him,” Chloe grumbled.

“Are you ready, Cub?” Plagg asked Adrien.

“How do I break the spell?” Adrien asked, pressing his head against Marinette’s in hopes it would melt the stone off of her.

Plagg blinked and turned to Tikki, “How do we get rid of the spell?”

“The Miraculous Stone of Illusion,” Gabriel answered, “It has to be destroyed.”

“Good observation,” A voice floated in the room and they turned to the open portal. Master Fu ambled his way through and smiled, “I see you have found Marinette.”

“Master Fu!” Tikki rushed to him and pulled on his arm towards Marinette, “Please, tell us how to fix this!”

“It is as Gabriel said. The Stone of Illusion must be destroyed. Thus, returning it to its purified form and back to its temple. Once that is done, the power the Miraculous Stone of Creation is using to protect Marinette and itself will be undone. Once that is done, she will naturally use all of her magic collectively to heal herself.”

“What about Veronica?” Gabriel asked.

“And Nino?” Alya injected.  
  
“Is Nino hurt?” Master Fu asked.

“Badly,” Alya nearly whimpered.

“He will need to be rushed to a doctor, as well as Veronica. Once Marinette is free from the protective spell, so will they. I have a witch doctor waiting for them. However, I must warn you, Gabriel, Veronica was under the influence of evil for such a long time, it may have damaged her soul.”

“Her soul?”

“Yes, that is why I suspect Marinette cast a spell on her.”

“To save her,” Gabriel said, studying his wife’s soft features.

“Yes. I taught Marinette all the secrets of the Miraculous Stone of Creation and some on the other Stones, too. More than you would know, Gabriel. Marinette would be aware of the implications a tainted Stone could have on its holder.”

“Marinette saved Veronica.” Gabriel touched Veronica’s arm. “I will thank her once all of this is done.”

“Yeah, you will,” Tikki nearly growled.

“Down, feisty-pants,” Plagg steered Tikki back to Marinette.

“We are ready on the other side. So…” Master Fu gestured to Adrien.

Adrien knelled in front of Marinette, nervous as he grasped her hand and then moved to solely touch the Miraculous Stone of Illusion. Unlike Marinette who needed to train and master the art of creation, who had an amazing power of constructing almost anything she liked, Adrien only needed to learn how to control the amount of destruction he could expel.

After all, Marinette could create the most time consuming and elaborate castle she could think of and he, in a simple moment, can destroy it easily. That was the nature of destruction, after all.

Adrien watched as black magic encase his fingers and he brushed the Miraculous Stone of Illusion, watching as it crumbled in her hand. As the last speck fell to the floor, the grey stone surface began to vanish. In awe, they watched as her fingers twitched.

“Marinette?” Adrien reached for her.

From above they heard a cry of joy by Alya who was by Nino’s side.

Gabriel caught Veronica once the spell was lifted from her.

Marinette’s limbs began to become supple, limber as they dropped from its held positions. Her hair resettled. Suddenly gasping for air and blinking her eyes, Marinette was revived. Her gaze met Adrien’s and she smiled breathlessly for a moment before whimpering in pain.

“Marinette!” Adrien caught her in his arms, desperately wanting to scent her, to hear her, speak to her, to tell her she was fine and that he was here, and that he was sorry. Instead, he picked her up and rushed to the portal. He smelled the blood before he saw the red begin to seep in vigor.

Behind Adrien was Alya helping Nino down the steps and across the room, his wound still causing him pain as his magic struggled to keep him alive. Luka was quickly by their side and helped move Nino to the other side of the portal. Gabriel carried Veronica through after them.

“You’re going to be ok, Mari.” Adrien told her in a shaken voice as he placed her on the awaiting gurney. Adrien held her hand as long as he could as they rushed her to the emergency herbal room at Town Hall.

She looked up at him, gaze dulling but her smile was bright. “Missed you, Chaton.”

  
~o~o~o~o~

Marinette awoke in a start and shot out of the body of water she was submerged in. She pulled herself over the ledge of the mossy soil and coughed all the green fluid from her lungs. Once disgusted with the mud forming underneath her, she pulled the rest of her body out of the man-made healing pool and slowly sat up.

Where was she?

Blinking, she pushed her hair out of face and looked around the warm, vine-crawling room. Jars littered the shelves and smaller ones were set on a nearby table, measuring tools and roots were scattered there, too. Marinette frowned. Dread was filling her. She was in the den of a witch.

But…what happened? She could not remember. Her memories were a jumbled mess and slowly floated back to her. She was in the Tear but for how long? Was she still there? Was she even safe?

Fear seeped slowly at the edges of her aura and Marinette didn’t want to wait for that answer. For now, she got up on unsteady legs, panting as she got her lungs functioning again. Naked, she saw no article of clothing in the room. Nudity never deterred her before, especially as magic slowly formed delicate and flimsy fabric over her. Marinette walked towards the door and pressed her ear to it, hearing nothing on the other side. She turned the handle and pushed it forward, leaning on it heavily until she moved onto the wall of the hallway.

She crept carefully, curving over corners and passing a séance room and a living room with blue worn seats and shelves stacked with herb plants. She saw a large door ahead of her. It was curved and made of withered oak. She just needed to go outside and fly far from here to a safe place. Marinette’s knees buckled and she slid heavy to the floor. Her eyes were heavy with sleep from whatever the witch gave to her, but Marinette pushed through. She won’t die here or have her flesh be eaten by a dark witch.

She had to get home to Adrien.

She stopped.

That was right.

She was trying to get back to Adrien.

He was waiting for her.

Her head was in pain as she tried to unscramble her memories and whimpered as the ache grew. Then, she heard the slam of a door behind her. Panicked, she ran to the entrance, thrusting the door open and ran through the forest looking for a clearing where she could fly straight up. Her wings uncurled when a black mass swiftly burst from her left and blocked her path.

Marinette stumbled back, falling to the ground but quickly sat up, hand poised with an attack when she saw relieved green eyes. He crept closer; body morphing and tears fell from her eyes. She barely sobbed his name before he was in her arms again.

“You’re okay,” Adrien said fiercely in her hair, his lack of scent on her made his body produce heavy musk that coated her. She was warm, so warm and he chocked out a sob. “E-everything is okay.” His hands roamed and pawed her, and the first desperate kiss led to more until she pulled back and beamed at him, amazed that he was here.

“I missed you,” she said softly, “so much.” She chuckled softly when he grazed over her sides where she was ticklish. “How are you?” She asked, not know what else to say.

“Better,” he said, sliding his hand to the back of her neck and pulled her in for another kiss. “Way better now. Marinette,” he said her name almost as if she was a dream. “I…where…damnit,” he hid his face in the crevasse of her neck.

She recalled the events prior; the speed was similar to stars growing bright in the sky as night descended. She was literally kicked into the Tear and ran throughout the vast desert looking for a way home. The memories of all of her fights made her bones ache and muscle sore.

She fought Le Peon.

Master the Miraculous Stone of Creation.

Found Nino.

“Nino?” She asked.

Continuing to string together, she remembered she almost lost him and had to put him under a spell. She lost to Le Peon, too, didn’t she? Ah, she did, and the massive black cat she saw that saved her was not Adrien but his father. Then, when she reached for Le Peon, a power ran through her and then darkness.

“And your mother?”

“They’re fine. Maman recovered within a day. Nino in three weeks.”

Marinette shut her eyes. The sun that fell over them was pleasant and her heartbeat matched his in the tune of the gleaming forest around them. “How long was I?”

“Two months in a week, Marinette.” Adrien held her tighter until they fell to their sides, Adrien cushioning her fall. “Seven weeks.”

Marinette observed his face, “Have you not been eating?”

He shook his head, peppering kisses on her hands to make up for the lost months.

“Sleeping?” She asked, noticing the bags under his eyes.

Again, he shook his head, nipping her inner wrist and relished in the rush of pheromones she released.

“Why haven’t you taken care of yourself?”

He looked at her sharply, desperate and traces of agony lingered behind the warm mint of his eyes. “I was too busy looking for you,” he said with a sad smile, “but I will now. I promise. And you? How are you feeling?”

“I want to go home.”

“That’s not a feeling.”

“I feel like going home.”

Adrien grinned, wiping the trail of tears on her cheek before he did his cheeks. “Then, let’s go home,” he rumbled, pawing at her happily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have a beta and just saw all the shitty grammar and spelling mistakes. ;A; Sorry I'm bad at editing. I'll catch what I can when I do a review.


	31. Rooftop Kisses

Adrien sighed, gently being awakened by a hand running through his hair. Paris just entered its winter season and the temperature was dropping by the day, but he felt pure warmth in the embraced he was in. The rooftop of their home was still and peaceful. The noise from the street below was almost muted by the purring he was producing.

He refused to wake up at first, wiggling himself into comfort until he was jerked awake by Mardi Gras jumping onto his back. Adrien shot up and glared at the fat black cat until his attention was drawn back to the person underneath him that was so kind to be used as a pillow and who was laughing loudly at him.

“No sympathy.”

“Why should I?”

“Because I’m your mate,” Adrien playfully argued to Marinette and resettled in her again.

“I am,” she went back to stroking his head. “It’s been peaceful lately, huh?”

Adrien hummed in agreement.

It has been over a year since she has returned from the Tear. Since then, she has taken a break from on-duty Chosen responsibilities and only entered the Realm with a group of pack members, and Adrien if able, with either Plagg or Tikki by her side. After all, the Queen was dethroned and her niece has taken over, bestowing Marinette with citizenship in Royal City and requesting Marinette to be an advisor.

Adrien stated every single reason why she should not accept the position and ignore the given citizenship until he was red.

Marinette smiled and thanked him for his explanation before informing him she already took it.

They didn’t talk the entire day until Marinette kissed his forehead and promised to be careful.

Adrien still scowled whenever the topic arose.

She had scheduled training sessions with Master Fu on Wednesdays to control the power of the Miraculous Stone of Creation. She had not told Adrien yet, but Master Fu also wanted to train her to be the next keeper of the Miraculous Records.

Besides those obligations, she returned to school and would be finishing her last semester in May with a degree in Fashion Design and Business. She also made it a habit to visit her parents at least twice a week with Adrien.

Adrien, when he was not eating trays of croissants at the Bakery, was running the Noir pack with Plagg as his advisor. His schedule filled even on the weekends but he liked the nonstop action. However, that does not mean he won’t take weeks off to travel somewhere with Marinette. He usually left Plagg in charge much to the Elder’s complaints.

“Too peaceful,” she finally poked.

Adrien stiffened and frowned, “No, it’s not. It’s the perfect amount.”

“I must disagree.”

He looked up at her with a pout, “why? Did someone offer you a position, mission, or something? Because if it’s going into the Tear again, I swear-”

“It’s nothing like that.”

Adrien plopped his head against her chest again. Sighing as he prepared himself for her exciting news that normally left him sweating in concern for her wellbeing. The last time she mentioned it was too peaceful she told him she accepted a mission to eliminate a creature from the Netherworld. He refused to talk to her for hours until, again, she kissed him and said she will be back by dinner.

Then, there was that incident three months ago when Nino casually called him to say that they were going to be late for dinner, all due to Marinette and Alya being at the hospital after an akuma emerged at the Louvre. What Nino failed to mention was that they were fine and were at the hospital to soothe a child who knocked his head during the commotion.

Adrien burst into the room, shoving two nurses off of him looking for Marinette. He later apologized to the staff and left the hospital with a laughing Marinette and his face red. His pack made fun of him for a week. When Natalie got wind of it, she sent flowers to the staff as an apology on the Noir Pack behalf.

His mother, who owned a flower shop now, thought it was hilarious. His father only perked an amused eyebrow as he arranged a bouquet of flowers for a client.

“Then what?” He moved to press his head against the crevasse of her neck.

“Nino and Alya are planning to have a baby.”

Adrien nodded, “they are.”

“Don’t you think their baby won’t want a friend?”

“Like a dog?”

“I was thinking more of a kitten.”

Adrien nodded. He preferred cats to dogs. He was going to mention that their neighbor’s cat just had kittens when he ripped himself away from her, gulping as he saw her pink cheeks and the gentle hint of her scent. There were butterflies in his stomach and it threatened to vomit out of his mouth.

"A kitten?"

"Yes."

"Like a kitten. Kitten."

Marinette nodded sweetly, "Yes."

“Want to start now?”

She laughed, her cheeks now red for another reason as she pushed him off of her.

“I’m serious,” Adrien countered.

“So you agree? It’s too peaceful?”

“More than agree,” Adrien grinned, peppering kisses on her face. “I already planned for this great disruption! I have an agenda ready for this moment with samples of nursery colors and lists of names, and Marinette!” Adrien stopped his pacing and smiled widely at her.

“Yes?” Marinette smoothed her hands up to his head and grabbed his ears gently, watching as he leaned into her hands.

“It’s going to be our baby.”

“It is,” Marinette laughed again. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him slowly, softly as the sun set behind them.

“I love you,” Adrien said, pressing more kisses on her lips.

“I love you,” she replied.

Mardi Gras meowed loudly behind them and they told the black fat cat they loved him, too.

Fin

 

 

Epilogue

It was a lie.

Cats do not always land on their feet.

Felix was determined, one-way or another, to make sure Marinette become aware of that. He pushed himself up and smelled her. He looked up from the tip of a hearty blade to the handle, up a slender arm to the eyes of Bridgette.

Her eyes were made of brimstone fire and her frown was fierce and frightful.

She was as lovely as the day he left.

She flushed and he realized he said his thought out loud.

“Felix Agreste.”

“Yes?” He said breathlessly.

She scowled at his awed voice, “You are under arrest for stealing the Miraculous Orb of Destruction”

Ah, yes. In this dimension, he was not a hero but a thief and she, his mate, was not a Chosen but an officer of the law.

“Ok.”

“O-ok?”

“Yes.”

She floundered and it made him smile.

“Where is it?”

He felt like an idiot because he stared at her like she was speaking in another language, too amazed by her, by returning to her, that even her glare did not frighten him as it usually did.

“Felix!”

“Yes?”

“Where is the Orb?”

Felix stood up, not jerking or pushing the blade pressing against his neck as he did. “I’ll give it to you.”

“You will?”

“Yes, that and everything else in my possession.”

“What else have you stolen, Thief?”

“Nearly everything but one thing.”

“Ha, and what’s that?”

He smiled softly, “what I desire most…your love.”

The dusk was upon them, and the light simply made her even more so lovelier. They stood there in silence. Both lost in thought.

“It’s too late for that,” she said after a moment, her voice suddenly small.

“I was told it is never too late.” He was tempted to hold her hand like he used to do, before he betrayed her. “Hey.”

Her blade was still poised, “what?”

“Do you remember when I told you, you’re a thief as well?”

She frowned, “Yes.”

“Do you know why?”

She shook her head and Felix stepped forward, her blade did not follow.

“Because you stole something I did not think was possible.”

Their noses bumped and Bridgette’s heart was pounding too hard, filled with longing that mingled with hurt. “And what’s that?”

“My heart,” Felix said, kissing her on the same rooftop he disappeared on months ago.

Twilight settled and she said in a voice that was small and hesitate, “you can’t steal what was given.”

 


End file.
